Societe Generale’s central branch is being renovated. The work is mainly carried out at night and during the weekend, so the employees at 29 Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th district of Paris often arrive in the morning to find that a little part of the building is cleaner or better lit than it was before, or that a previously hidden architectural feature is now visible.
My work is carried out with the utmost discretion. Only the security staff, the cleaners and maintenance personnel who sometimes bump into me in the company of a marbler, a master glazier, a wrought-iron craftsman or a mason, know why I’m within the walls of this century old building and what my job is, as a National Heritage Architect…
Organising renovation work under these conditions is quite an achievement. I always feel like I'm directing a film where all the right conditions need to come together as quickly as possible: good weather for working on the frontage, perfect timing to finish before dawn, a good cast of actors (master craftsmen) as skilled as they are willing to work the oddest of hours.

But getting it right means a considerable amount of preparation beforehand. Initial studies, historical and sometimes archaeological research are essential for work on a renovation.
The ultimate goal is to enhance the architectural value of the building, but technical considerations, such as fire safety measures, access for the disabled and budgets decided on in advance sometimes represent very difficult obstacles to overcome when trying to achieve the right result. I believe it is the little touches that help to maintain the building and, I hope, allow for regular progress to be made.

The profession of renovating Historical Monuments is a doubly exciting one, because it is intellectually demanding and requires a pragmatic approach. I occasionally lock myself away in my ivory tower, delving into the archives, wandering through the storerooms in the basements of the central branch looking for spare parts to complete or restore unfinished or damaged architectural features. At other times I find myself in the dust of the building site talking with the craftsmen and thinking about the best way to carry on and overcome the setbacks that happen on a daily basis.

Playing this double role I feel the need to appease the souls who gave so much of themselves - a 100 years ago – to create this architectural masterpiece and I sometimes forget the main thing, which is that what I am doing will also allow future generations to appreciate its beauty.
Every building has a life of its own, its strengths and weaknesses…
My work as an architect is to get to know the building and make it my friend. I always learn a little more from these experiences and they make me feel useful.

I would like to invite you to discover the behind the scenes world of the renovations undertaken at the central branch of Societe Generale in 2011 in a film dedicated to the craftsmen and their trades: gilders, mosaicists, marblers, masons and master glaziers.

And what about you? What do you do to make yourself feel useful in helping to conserve your surroundings?