Architecture, town planning and heritage sites

The architects of the Buildings of France participate, together with the curators of the historical monuments, in the monitoring of the health of the historical monuments as well as the scientific and technical inspection of the various interventions carried out there: maintenance work or restoration work, the mastery of which is ensured by heritage architects or by chief architects of historic monuments.

- Access to the Heritage Atlas

- Access to the POP Culture database

The architects of the Buildings of France are curators of the historical monuments belonging to the State and assigned to the Ministry of Culture. They ensure the conduct of maintenance work.

For cathedrals in particular, as at the Palais de Chaillot, this mission designates them as the sole security officer with regard to the risks of fire and panic.

-Contacts in the region

- List of CBM retained

- Conservation of the Palais de Chaillot

The label ACR, formerly Heritage of the twentieth century, is awarded by the prefect of region to exemplary architectural or urban ensembles, made for less than 100 years. Owners wishing to carry out works there must inform the prefect of the region two months before submitting their application for authorization (building permit, prior declaration, etc.). The UDAP and the ABF are the interlocutors to assess the compatibility of the projects with the architectural characteristics of the labelled properties.

These goods contribute to the cultural identity of the territories and their attractiveness. Some of them may subsequently be protected as historic monuments.

- List of ACR-certified properties in Île-de-France

- Declare a Project Intent

The concept of historic monuments dates back to 1943, when the cities were bombed and burned. It allows to consider the historical monument in its close, urban and landscaped environment. The surroundings constitute the setting around the historic monument that contributes to its conservation, apprehension and development. This 500-metre perimeter constitutes a public utility easement established at the time of protection of the historic monument itself. Therefore, any intervention likely to modify the surroundings is subject to the agreement of the architect of the Buildings of France

This agreement is required within the 500 meter perimeter, if there is a co-visibility between the plot and the historical monument. The co-visibility is appreciated with the naked eye, from the monument or from any point accessible to the public, inside or outside the 500 m perimeter, which allows to see simultaneously the monument, the parcel concerned, the existing constructions on this parcel…

The approaches can be reconfigured into a perimeter delimited of the approaches (PDA) by the competent urban planning authority in liaison with the architect of the Buildings of France. Within this scope, requests for authorization must be approved by the AFB.

The patrim sitesonials remarkable (RPD)

SPRs are tools designed to protect the heritage and landscape issues identified in the same territory. Notable heritage sites are among those with the objective of protecting, conserving and presenting the built and landscape cultural heritage. Since the RPD is a public utility easement (SUP), interventions that may alter these heritage spaces or sites are subject to the prior agreement of the AFB.

Remarkable Heritage Sites (RPS) are towns, villages or neighbourhoods whose conservation, restoration, rehabilitation or development is historically, architecturally, archaeological, artistic or landscaped. a public interest. They also concern rural areas and landscapes which together with these towns, villages or neighbourhoods form a coherent whole, or which are likely to contribute to their conservation or development.

SPRs are classified as:

• by decision of the Minister responsible for Culture, on a proposal or after agreement of the local authority or institution responsible for the local town planning (PLU, PLUi), document in its place or municipal map and, where appropriate, consultation of the municipality or municipalities concerned;

• or by decree in the Council of State in case of lack of agreement of the community or the institution competent in matter of PLU(i), document in place or communal card.

The National Commission for Heritage and Architecture, the Regional Commissions for Heritage and Architecture and the Public Institutions for Intercommunal Cooperation may propose a classification in SPR. Municipalities which are members of a public inter-municipal cooperation institution may also do so if an area concerned by a classification scheme is wholly or partly within their territory.

After the classification and to ensure the preservation and presentation of the heritage concerned, the SPRs must be accompanied by a management document. This is an Architecture and Heritage Enhancement Plan (ALMP) or a Safeguard and Enhancement Plan (MVSP); there may also be a MVSP on one part of the CPS and a PVAP on the other part.

With the CASL Act of July 7, 2016, the protected areas, the Architectural, Urban and Landscape Heritage Protection Areas (ZPPAUP) and the Architectural and Heritage Development Areas (AVAP) have all become SPRs.

The PSMV, backup and enhancement plan, remain in force as a planning document. The ZPPAUP and AVAP, the management documents of the other pre-existing SPRs, continue to have their effect until the local authorities decide to transform them into PVAP.

The creation and evolution of SPRs, as well as their management tools, are monitored jointly by the regional service and by the architect of the Buildings of France within the UDAP concerned.

- Reference: heritage code, articles L. 631-1 to L. 633-1 and R. 631-1 to D. 633-1

- Access to the Heritage Atlas

The protection of landscape sites is motivated by the end of the 19th century^e This legislation, in a fruitful dialectic with that of historical monuments, resulted in the laws of 1906 and 1930. Codified in the environmental code, the latter provides for the possibility of inventorying a portion of territory whose exceptional character justifies protection of general interest from the artistic, historical, scientific, legendary or picturesque point of view (article L. 341-1).

This legislation has made it possible to preserve the diversity of the Paris landscapes, such as:

• urban rooms such as the esplanade des Invalides (75) or the garden city of Vésinet (92),

• heritage groups such as the Sevran Royal Powder Mill (93), the Abbey of Port-Royal des Champs (78), the Domaine de Chamarande (91),

• places enjoying social recognition such as the fishing walls of Montreuil (93), the property of Rodin in Meudon (92), the Isle of Chennevières (94),

• urban parks and gardens: the Parisian woods (75), the park of Sceaux (78),

• emblematic landscapes: the plain of Versailles (78), the valley of the Juine (91), the forest of Fontainebleau (77) or the cliffs of the Roche-Guyon (95).

The classification establishes an easement which consists in submitting any work likely to change the condition or appearance of the site to a special authorization of the State. All work requests are subject to:

• in classified site: reports from the inspector of sites and the architect of the Buildings of France before the members of the Departmental Commission of nature, landscapes and sites, whose opinion is sent to the minister in charge of sites to inform his decision,

• in registered site: from an opinion of the ABF on behalf of the regional prefect.

- Access to the Heritage Atlas

The opinions of the ABF in certain heritage spaces (surroundings of MH or SPR) can be appealed to the prefect of region. The mayors or the authorities competent to issue the planning authorisations have 7 days to transmit their appeal to the prefect after the receipt of the opinion of the ABF: agreement, refusal of agreement, agreement with prescriptions. For his part, the applicant may appeal to the prefect of region until two months after receipt of the decision of the authority competent to issue the authorization, if this decision is based on the refusal of agreement of the ABF.

The SRAEP is responsible for investigating the appeal, in liaison with the services of the regional prefect, with the local and regional authorities and with the mediator designated within the RCAP, if the applicant wishes to call upon his interventions. Some appeals are examined by the members of the Regional Commission for Heritage and Architecture to give an opinion to the prefect.

In conjunction with the Prefecture of the Region, the service also monitors disputes involving the four administrative tribunals in the region: Paris, Melun, Versailles and Cergy-Pontoise.

- fact sheet on the methods of appeal to the regional prefect

Communities wishing to engage in an exemplary way in the development and attractiveness of their territory can apply for the award of the VPAH label. A ten-year agreement was signed with the State to specify its related objectives, including:

• the protection and enhancement of architectural and urban heritage,
• the recruitment of an architecture and heritage facilitator responsible for implementing mediation actions with audiences, inhabitants and visitors, as well as arts and cultural education activities,
• the creation of an architecture and heritage interpretation centre,
• the promotion of architectural creation.

Under these agreements, the State grants financial assistance to the communities concerned for certain projects. Agreements can be renewed or extended to a larger coherent territory -- the country, to pool certain activities and meet a wider audience.

- HPV Map

- Links to HPV sites

- Find out more

In each department, CAUE promotes architectural quality by working with individuals and local authorities to advise or support their projects.

Meeting in regional association, the CAUE, with the financial support of the DRAC, develop several regular and structuring actions, renewed each year:

• the Observatory of the architectural quality of housing, which presents exemplary achievements, in the new or rehabilitation, with analysis sheets, interviews, site visits,

• the Ile-de-France Archipelago, collection of routes of discovery of architecture and cities, accessible on the application Archistoire for smartphone,

• Arts and Cultural Education Actions for Young Audiences with Heritage Children or with the intervention of Architects and Landscapers in the classrooms.

- The CAUE of Île-de-France

The Ile-de-France region has six national architecture colleges under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and the Special School of Architecture under private status. As a member of the board of directors of the six schools, the DRAC wants to promote the establishment of these institutions in the regional territory through research activities, the development of study projects located and in the contribution to arts and cultural education.

For example, several partnership chairs are led by schools in Île-de-France:

• Architecture, Design, Health, from ENSA Paris-Val-de-Seine with AP-HP
• Experiment Make and Transmit, by ENSA Paris-La Villette, with HESAM-Université, ENSA Paris-Belleville, ENSCI, CNAM, La Preuve par Sept and the circular economies of architecture
• New urban areas facing natural hazards: open shelters, from ENSA Paris-La Villette, with the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the ENSA of Lyon and Montpellier, the ENS of Lyon, the University of Strasbourg…

The ENSA

- ENSA Paris-Belleville

- ENSA Paris La Villette

- ENSA Paris East

- ENSA Paris-Malaquais

- ENSA Paris-Val de Seine

- ENSA Versailles

Architecture or urban planning projects are designed and implemented by architects. Their demanding professional practice is highly regulated in terms of their responsibilities towards safety, well-being, health, economy and law.

In each region, the Regional Council of the Order of Architects ensures respect for the rights and duties of architects, as well as the code of ethics. The DRAC provides the council with the role of Government Commissioner to oversee the proper maintenance of the registration table of architects.

The DRAC is also responsible for examining applications submitted by foreign, non-European architects wishing to practise the profession of architect in France.

- Regional Council of the Order of Architects of Île-de-France

- Foreign architects and practice requests in France

Since culture is an essential component in the individual construction of people and the awakening of citizens, the DRAC provides financial support for arts and cultural education activities, insisting that the rural territories and districts of the city’s politics should also benefit.

In addition to CAUE and VPAH, the DRAC helps the activities produced by associations in classrooms or in situations outside of school, to promote the appropriation of the components of the living environment, to perceive the architectural and landscape qualities, understand the story…

The DRAC provides financial support for the promotion of the quality of architecture, landscape and cities, whether these are actions taken during the National Days of Architecture in October, or organized punctually throughout the year: architecture biennial, thematic colloquia, etc.

Regular beneficiaries include: The House of Architecture of Île-de-France, The House of Suburbs and Architecture, The Metropolitan Journey, The Urban Walks, Urbanography (film festival), VPAH, etc.

Architecture projects and activities organized within the framework of the cultural summers, can also be helped.