Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The La Rotonde building, located at 41 boulevard Gambetta in Nice, was designed in 1928 by architect Georges Dikansky, a graduate of the École spéciale d'architecture de Paris. This project is part of the current Art Deco Classicizing, inspired by the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925. The building, commissioned by the Société anonyme des constructeurs modernes de la Côte d'Azur, is distinguished by its six-storey truncated structure, its iconic rotunda and luxurious apartments organized around a central staircase cage.

The construction, carried out between 1929 and 1930, incorporates remarkable decorative elements: stained glass, polychrome mosaics, and two gazebos on the roof terrace. The common areas, such as the vestibule and the stairwell, show particular attention to their realization. The building illustrates the adaptation of the Art Deco style to the expectations of an easy clientele on the French Riviera.

Ranked a historic monument on July 30, 2001, La Rotonde was also awarded the 20th century Heritage label. This status protects its facades, its roof terrace with its constructions, as well as all the interior common areas (hall, stairs, decorations). The building symbolizes the architectural and real estate boom of Nice in the interwar period, marked by the arrival of wealthy residents.

The architect Georges Dikansky, a major figure in this movement, expresses a synthesis between modernity and classicism. The original stained glass windows and accessories, always present, reinforce the authenticity of this architectural testimony. The Rotonde remains an emblematic example of the Nice heritage of the twentieth century, combining functionality and refined aesthetics.

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