Publications
Schmitt Michel, Le Palais des Fêtes de Strasbourg
The Palais des Fêtes de Strasbourg, a historic landmark classified since 2007, stands as an architectural emblem of the Neustadt district, blending neo-Gothic, neo-Renaissance, and Art Nouveau styles. Constructed in 1903 by architects Joseph Müller and Richard Kuder, its design features include a polygonal corner tower, scrolled gables, and intricate windows, balconies, and concert halls that reflect the city's vibrant cultural heritage. This study highlights the Palais's role as a gathering place for artistic and festive events throughout the 20th century, offering insights into its historical significance and architectural innovation.
L’Alsace, une région mobilisée dans la patrimonialisation de la Neustadt
The Neustadt district of Strasbourg, built under German urban planning after Alsace's annexation in 1870, serves as a symbolic representation of Franco-German relations and the complex history of Alsace. This study reveals how its patrimonialization reflects broader regional, national, and international acceptance of Alsace's past. By comparing the district's preservation efforts with historical narratives, it highlights the Neustadt's dual identity—shaped by both German urban design and French heritage conservation. The research traces key events that have shaped this urban landscape, emphasizing its role as a microcosm of Alsace's evolving relationship between France and Germany.
Studying tourism practices at heritage sites through online published content: the case of the World Heritage Site Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt
Analysis of user-generated content from Flickr and TripAdvisor reveals that the 2018 expansion of Strasbourg's UNESCO World Heritage Site perimeter has not significantly altered tourist perceptions or behaviors. The study combines geolocalized image analysis with statistical and content reviews, showing that tourists' representations of heritage sites remain largely consistent despite boundary changes. This method offers a novel approach to assessing tourism impacts on heritage destinations by leveraging digital media data.
Désir d’un renouveau pédagogique
A ceramic decoration commissioned for the façade of Strasbourg's new School of Art and Crafts (1892) exemplifies the paradoxes of Art Nouveau, illustrating its tension between rejecting academicism, promoting regional craftsmanship, and embracing industrial innovation. This work, created by Léon Elchinger under Anton Seder’s direction, reflects a pedagogical shift toward hands-on training rooted in nature observation rather than stylistic imitation. The research highlights the complex interplay between Art Nouveau’s historicist tendencies and its fascination with natural forms, while also contextualizing this decorative project within the broader urban development of Strasbourg's Neustadt district during a period of emerging modernity.
Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin). Mur d’enceinte – place Sainte-Madeleine / rue du Fossé des Orphelins
A comprehensive study of the medieval and modern defensive wall at Strasbourg's Grande Île, specifically focusing on the section at place Sainte-Madeleine / rue du Fossé des Orphelins, has revealed significant insights into its architectural evolution. The research, conducted between 2018-2019, utilized multi-phase analysis to document the wall's structure, which is primarily visible from its interior face due to adjacent school buildings obscuring the exterior. Key findings include detailed observations of the wall's construction techniques and historical layers, providing critical data for ongoing restoration efforts on this Monument historique. The study highlights the importance of preserving such structures while offering a deeper understanding of Strasbourg's defensive architecture.
Renaître de ses cendres
Strasbourg's Neustadt, a rare surviving example of German urban planning from the 19th century, stands as a testament to post-war reconciliation and historical resilience. Inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2017, it symbolizes the region's complex history, including its destruction during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and its preservation through both world wars. The study highlights Neustadt's architectural significance as a bridge between Alsatian and German influences, offering insights into urban memory and cultural identity. By analyzing historical records and urban development patterns, the research underscores the site's role in shaping Strasbourg's post-conflict narrative.
Saint-Maurice, une ancienne église de garnison allemande devenue une paroisse catholique de Strasbourg
The classification of Strasbourg's Neustadt as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2017 marks a significant historical shift, symbolizing the city's reappropriation of its past. Once criticized for its German architectural influence during the Annexation period (1871-1918), the Neustadt has been reclaimed and celebrated, reflecting a broader trend of historical reconciliation. This study examines the transformation of Saint-Maurice, an old German garrison church, into a Catholic parish in Strasbourg, illustrating the complex layers of memory and identity embedded within the site. By analyzing architectural evolution and cultural shifts, the research underscores how heritage sites serve as living markers of historical narratives, bridging past conflicts with contemporary identities.
Mistler (Anne), dir., Le palais du Rhin, Ancien palais impérial
A comprehensive reassessment of the Palais du Rhin, once the imperial palace in Strasbourg's Grande-Île and Neustadt, reveals its pivotal role in the city's architectural and urban evolution. This study builds on Klaus Nohlen’s foundational work from the late 1970s, offering new insights into its historical significance as a transitional element between the old town and the Neustadt. The research employs a combination of archival analysis, architectural documentation, and urban planning studies to contextualize the palace's design, function, and legacy within broader European imperial contexts. Published in Revue d’Alsace, this work underscores the Palais du Rhin’s enduring influence on Strasbourg’s cultural heritage.
Pottecher (Marie), Haegel (Olivier) et Doucet (Hervé) dir., La Neustadt de Strasbourg, Un laboratoire urbain (1871-1930)
The Neustadt district of Strasbourg, once criticized for its aesthetic shortcomings by the chief architect of historic monuments in 1960, has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017. This prestigious designation reflects a shift in perception and appreciation of the urban ensemble, highlighting it as a shared cultural heritage. The study, directed by Marie Pottecher, Olivier Haegel, and Hervé Doucet, explores the transformation and significance of the Neustadt from its inception in 1871 to 1930, emphasizing its role as an urban laboratory that has left a lasting impact on the city's development.
Transmissions, appropriations et mises en valeur du patrimoine de l'Autre : le cas de la Neustadt, Strasbourg
Strasbourg's Neustadt district exemplifies the duality of urban modernization and heritage preservation, reflecting both its modern planning origins (1880) and its UNESCO World Heritage status (2017). This study reveals how the district's identity oscillates between these two narratives, shaped by historical processes and local resident practices. By focusing on the scale of individual apartment buildings, the research uncovers heterogeneous patrimonial practices that coexist and interact within the neighborhood. It also deconstructs the factors leading to Neustadt's reclassification as heritage, highlighting the role of residents in this transformation. The findings underscore the dynamic interplay between global recognition (UNESCO) and local appropriation, challenging static notions of heritage preservation.
La Neustadt de Strasbourg
Strasbourg's Neustadt, a German-designed urban extension from the Alsatian annexation period (1871–1918), has emerged as a significant site of patrimonial co-construction. This study reveals how institutional patrimonialization efforts—led by local authorities and supported by UNESCO candidacy—interact with citizen appropriation of the built environment, shaping its heritage status. The research, conducted over six years (2010–2016) by Strasbourg’s Inventory Service, examines the dynamic between top-down urban planning and grassroots cultural attachment. While the Neustadt was previously excluded from the 1988 UNESCO-listed Grande-Île, its inclusion in a broader candidate dossier (submitted 2016) reflects ongoing efforts to redefine Strasbourg’s heritage narrative. The findings underscore the role of patrimonialization as a collaborative process, blending administrative frameworks with community perceptions.
Les enjeux urbains et patrimoniaux de la reconstruction après la guerre franco-prussienne à Strasbourg
The reconstruction of Strasbourg after the Franco-Prussian War (1870) introduced significant urban and architectural transformations, particularly in the city's north-western districts. Despite the severe damage inflicted during the conflict, the German authorities swiftly embarked on restoration efforts, culminating in the ambitious Neustadt extension project by 1880. This study reveals that while the reconstruction of key structures like the cathedral and municipal buildings initially appeared to maintain continuity with pre-war designs, closer examination shows notable shifts in urban planning and architectural styles, reflecting Germany's influence during its occupation of Alsace-Lorraine. The research employs a comparative analysis of historical documents, architectural plans, and visual evidence to assess how national identity and political context shaped the city's built heritage.
Mistler (Anne) (dir.), Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, 100 ans de travaux
A century of restoration work on the UNESCO-listed Strasbourg Cathedral, one of France's most significant historic monuments, has been meticulously documented in a new publication. The cathedral, classified as a Monument historique since 1862 and part of the Grande-Île World Heritage Site, underwent extensive state-led conservation efforts over the past 100 years. This comprehensive study, commissioned by the Alsace Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs, provides detailed insights into the challenges, methodologies, and outcomes of preserving such an iconic structure. The work highlights the interplay between historical preservation, architectural innovation, and adaptive reuse, offering a model for the conservation of similarly complex heritage sites worldwide.
Semantische Frames zur empirischen Erfassung sozialer Repräsentationen : ein diskurslinguistischer Ansatz zur Untersuchung der Wahrnehmung der Straßburger Neustadt durch die lokale Bevölkerung
This study reveals a disconnect between the increasing media attention and UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of Strasbourg's Neustadt—once an imperial quarter—and its perception by local residents. While the area is being actively valorized, particularly due to its potential inclusion in UNESCO’s heritage list since 2010, local social representations do not align with this narrative. The research employs an interdisciplinary discourse-linguistic approach, combining questionnaires and interviews with psychosociological theories (e.g., 'central nucleus theory' and the 'silent zone hypothesis') and lexicometic methods to analyze semantic frames in discourse. These frameworks help uncover the content, structure, and dynamics of how residents perceive Neustadt, shedding light on the cognitive and social dimensions of urban heritage interpretation.
Entre France et Allemagne, de la ville ancienne à la Neustadt de Strasbourg
Strasbourg's Grande-Île and Neustadt, spanning French and German architectural influences, were analyzed for their potential UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription. The study, conducted between 2011 and 2014 under a CIFRE contract with the City of Strasbourg, highlighted the unique urban evolution shaped by historical transitions, including the Alsace-Moselle region's shifting borders. It supported the city's patrimonial policy by providing scientific evidence to strengthen the candidacy, focusing on the continuity between the medieval Grande-Île and the 19th-century Neustadt, designed under German influence. The research involved organizing a dedicated scientific committee and contributing to the finalization of the UNESCO dossier.
Entre France et Allemagne, de la ville ancienne à la Neustadt de Strasbourg : la construction du regard patrimonial
Strasbourg's heritage, shaped by French and German influences, has evolved significantly since the Second Empire, with its values reflecting shifting ideological and nationalistic discourses. The study highlights that the Neustadt district, developed during Germany's annexation (1871–1918), transitioned from being a marginalized 'foreign' legacy to a highly valued symbol of Franco-German cultural exchange. This transformation involved overcoming historical conflicts and led to its potential UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription. The research reveals that heritage perception is influenced by institutional, scientific, and public awareness gaps, as well as regional continuity, which has fostered a mythological dimension. By analyzing municipal archives, urbanism literature, and media, the study advances understanding of how ideological, political, and cultural narratives construct patrimonial perspectives in border cities.
Fiat justitia. Le palais de justice de Strasbourg (1892 - 1898)
The Palais de Justice in Strasbourg, constructed between 1893 and 1898 by the German administration, stands as a testament to the city's elevated status within the Reichsland d'Alsace-Lorraine following its annexation in 1871. This monumental structure, characterized by its antique-inspired architecture, not only served as a modern judicial institution but also symbolized the integration of Strasbourg into the German Empire. Situated in the Neustadt district—a planned urban area reflecting German ambitions for the city—the Palais de Justice represents a sophisticated synthesis of German and French architectural traditions in late 19th-century judicial design. Recognized as a historic monument since 1992, it is also part of the Neustadt's proposed World Heritage Site listing, underscoring its cultural and historical significance.
K comme Kulb
A collection of approximately 13,000 to 14,000 photographs held by the Bibliothèque Nationale et Universitaire (BNU) in Strasbourg offers significant insight into the architectural evolution of the Neustadt district during the German occupation period (1870-1918). Over a quarter of these images focus on Alsace, providing a visual record of this historically rich area. The photograph featured, taken around 1920 from Place de la République, captures the completed Kaiserliche buildings, illustrating the urban development and architectural style prevalent during that era.
Un projet de recherche-action sur l’histoire de l’architecture et de l’urbanisme strasbourgeois : l’inventaire de la Neustadt de Strasbourg
A comprehensive study of Strasbourg's Neustadt, conducted since 2010 by the Alsace region's heritage inventory service, reveals its significance as more than a political and military project but as a pioneering urban laboratory with lasting architectural and urbanistic influence. This research, involving systematic archival analysis and field observations, transcends its geographical boundaries to explore broader impacts on urban development. Collaborating with the University of Strasbourg, the study integrates students from a master's program in art, architecture, and heritage history, ensuring public engagement and academic rigor. The Neustadt's remarkable architectural quality and conservation state further underscore its historical and contemporary importance.
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