Role and missions of architects of French Buildings
The Corps des architectes des Bâtiments de France (ABF) was born in 1946. Since 1993, it has been part of the State Urban Planners' Corps within the State Architects and Urban Planners' Corps (AUE), a heritage section, in order to make respect for heritage and spatial planning consistent.
Protect, maintain and restore heritage
The architect of the Buildings of France reports to the Ministry of Culture and Communication and generally works under the authority of the Prefect of department within a Territorial Service of Architecture and Heritage (Stap) present in each department. Its role has been reaffirmed and extended at every legislative stage concerning heritage, environment, architecture and urban planning. Today, it ensures the application of numerous codified laws to the codes of heritage, urban planning code and environment code:
- Historical monuments (1913)
- Sites (1930)
- Approaches to monuments (1943)
- Sectors safeguarded (1962)
- Architecture (1977)
- Advertising (1979)
- Architectural, Urban and Landscape Heritage Protection Zone (1983) - ZPPAUP
- Solidarity and urban renewal (2000)
- Architecture and Heritage Development Area (2010) - AVAP replacing the ZPPAUP
Advice, control and conservation
The architect of the Buildings of France advises and promotes a quality architecture and urbanization taking into account the context in which the constructions must integrate harmoniously.
It issues opinions on applications for land use authorizations (building permits, development permits, demolition permits and preliminary declaration of works) which have the effect of modifying protected, built or natural areas.
He is a curator of state-owned historical monuments. In Haute-Garonne, the architect of the Bâtiments de France is responsible for the maintenance of the Saint-Étienne cathedral in Toulouse and the archaeological site of Saint Bertrand de Comminges. It also ensures the health of monuments protected as historical monuments.
Raising awareness and supporting quality architecture
More generally, the Stap participates in the elaboration of territorial coherence schemes (SCOT), local town planning plans (PLU) and is consulted for the implementation of road and motorway infrastructures, railway lines, EDF lines, antennae and anything that is likely to change the landscape of cities and countryside. It sheds light on architectural, urban and landscape concerns, both public and private, which must be taken into account in the design process. Finally, it is available, free of charge, to any citizen who feels the need for advice prior to future development.