Annular Building

The annular building of Mulhouse embodies the architecture of reconstruction after the 1944 bombings. Built between 1952 and 1955 by P-J Guth, it stands out as one of the few completely circular buildings in France, with only two passages cut through its structure.

Its impressive diameter of 96 meters allows it to adapt to the terrain: seven levels on the north side, only one on the station side, creating a dynamic facade that evokes a monumental gateway to the city. Made of concrete, an innovative material at the time for collective housing, it combines strength and aesthetics with facades clad in pre-cut stone and bush-hammered concrete, adorned with gravel. This versatile building reflects new post-war housing aspirations: it combines 96 apartments, 19 shops under its ground-floor arcades, and a central garden, promoting housing, social interaction, and circulation.