who is Benjamin Bourdiol, the new guardian of Ornais heritage?

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Sans Architect of French buildings (ABF) since the beginning of 2024, the heritage of Orne has found its new head of the Departmental Unit of Architecture and Heritage (Udap).

Benjamin Bourdiol took up his position in the summer of 2024. He replaces Anne Chevillon, who had spent 15 years in Orne as ABF before taking the same functions at Le Mans.

An architect in the service of the State

Benjamin Bourdiol41, arrives from the Paris region, where he was previously head of department and deputy of the ABF in Yvelines, then in Paris for four years.

Originally from Bourbonnais, in Allier, the forty-year-old studied architecture in a Parisian school, theNational Higher School of Architecture from Paris-Belleville, from which he graduated in 2006.

His professional career began in an architectural agency, still in the capital, as an employee.

He entered the Civil service a few years later, within the town planning department of the City of Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis). An “important” experience for his new position. “I learned a lot about urban planning and how communities function,” said the person, whose new position involves working with mayors in particular.

Cities and towns often carry out the most important heritage restoration projects. And when an individual has a project concerning an old property, it is also to his mayor that he turns first.

Palais-Royal, Château de Compiègne, Hôtel de la Marine…

Benjamin Bourdiol then spent two years within the Operator of Cultural Heritage and Real Estate Projects (Oppic), a public project management organization working on behalf of the State and its establishments.

“I worked in particular on the restoration file of the Palace Royal », monumental building in the heart of Paris built by Richelieu from 1628 and which houses, among others, the Council of State and the Constitutional Council.

Before joining the services of Udap, the new guardian of Ornes heritage joined the Center of National Monuments (CMN), which manages, organizes and opens to visitors nearly 100 state-owned monuments.

He notably worked on important files such as the Compiègne castle (Oise), that of Talcy (Loir-et-Cher) or the Sainte-Chapelle du Vincennes castlefor which a facade restoration campaign was initiated from 2009.

I especially remember the restoration and opening to the public of the Hôtel de la Marine, a high place in the history of France with a rare wealth of heritage, which was the Crown’s Furniture Storage until the end of the 18th century and will become the Naval General Staff. It was fascinating!

Orne, “exciting because it is preserved”

At the same time, Benjamin Bourdiol had resumed his studies at the École de Chaillot. He graduated in 2016.

” It’s a obligatory passage to become ABFwhich allows you to deepen your knowledge in ancient techniques and materialsfor the development of remarkable heritage sites and the urban fabric with high heritage value. »

If he did application form in Orneit is because the Normandy department is “an exciting and endearing territory, because it is preserved”.

Here, in Orne, we are working on a heritage substance whose degree of conservation is quite exceptional.

Passing on heritage to future generations

“There is also a diversity of heritage built and natural, with territories which all have their specificities, but with a coherent whole,” he continues.

His career path, “ultimately quite classic for an ABF”, allows him, he believes, “to understand the heritage issues”, both for elected officials, renovation professionals and owners.

The objective is to work together and constructively while respecting local heritage and to preserve the living environment and the identity of the department which are an integral part of its attractiveness.

Its role is to ensure transmission to future generations without neglecting the local heritage.

However, he makes a point of “breaking a prejudice”:

An ABF is not there to say no, nor to freeze the identity of a territory!

Sobriety

The ABF “provides its expertise to develop the built or non-builtwhile respecting their heritage value. »

For this, Benjamin Bourdiol therefore pleads for “sobriety”.

Yes, contemporary architecture has its place, but it must be incorporated into the existing in a sober way.

He repeats, “an ABF is there to help and support in a constructive way to, at the same time, understand the issues and to find solutions in line with the owners’ capabilities, including financial ones. Udap brings its expertise to an existing project, the objective being that at the end, each restoration project receives a favorable opinion from state services.

The UDAP de l’Orne, located at 15 bis rue de Fresnay in Alençon, offers five offices by appointment, in Argentan, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, Bellême, Mortagne-au-Perche and Alençon. Contact: 02 33 26 03 92 or [email protected]

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