Paris. ” Quality ” : The mantra of the office responsible for architecture, within the general direction of heritage and architecture of the Ministry of Culture, was very present in the speech delivered by Rachida Dati, on February 4. On the occasion of the presentation of the National Grand Prix of Architecture to the Atelier Architecture Perraudin, the minister presented a national strategy 2025-2029, culmination of a work launched by Rima Abdul Malak at the end of 2023 in response to the crisis crossed by the schools of architecture.
The National Council of the Order of Architects welcomed the new fixed orientations, which therefore aim to make the “Architectural quality” An issue for all interventions on the building, but also to “re-territorialize” the profession: “Architectural deserts appear, agencies do not find buyers», Underlined Rachida Dati.
Supporting elected officials, through assistance with project management, is one of the strong proposals, and is translated for the time being by a doubling of the hours of vacation of the architects of the State. But for the rest, the question of concrete means to implement this strategy remains vague: it is just promised that the departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP) will have to have two architects (including the ABF, architect of the buildings of France), a minimal commitment (and without precise terms) for the only public architecture service. The question of the additional cost that the intervention of architects would generate in the energy renovation sites is thus a worrying blindness, in the tense budgetary context of local authorities.
Without announcement concerning the regulatory work to be carried out (on the differences that exist between rehabilitation and construction in the law, for example) or an incentive device, this strategy appears for the time being only as a CAP. The same goes for architectural schools, at the heart of the Minister’s speech: the latter sets the target of 20 % of additional students in ten years (4,000 students), and announces a welcome reflection on work rhythms as well as on social opening (equal opportunities program, corded success, etc.) in the National Architecture Schools (ENSA). But the work of extension of schools, such as the multiplication on the territory of antennas intended to accommodate these students, are in the embryonic state. The generalized recourse to learning, experienced by the ENSA of Paris-Est and Marseille, is the most immediate site: the ministry works on a charter of reception of students as well as a reflection on the educational methods of learning.
