06/12: Week 10 - Bordeaux
As I am short on time, I will give you a brief recap on my time in Bordeaux, and will fill in with more details soon.
Monday, 23 November, I was welcomed by François Gondran and Xavier Clarke de Dromantin with the Service Départemental de l'architecture et du Patrimoine (SDAP) of la Gironde (department 33). This region includes landscape known for its vinyards and wine - Medoc, Saint Emilion, to name a few. It also includes the Vauban citadel at Blaye, part of the multi-property UNESCO World Heritage Site, "Fortifications of Vauban". Vauban was the military architect-engineer of Louis XIV.
The department is studying how to respond to the national requirement to install photovoltaic centers in the landscape - and what are the guidelines for individuals wishing to install them. I also attended a departmental Commission meeting about proposed work in protected nature, landscapes, and sites. These meetings are very similar to Commission of Fine Arts, NCPC, or DC Historic Preservation Review Board meetings in Washington. However, in France, these meetings are not open to the public. While the applicant hears the staff recommendation and responds to questions, the Commission's vote is not conducted in the presence of the applicants. They learn of the result via formal written notification after the fact. Through this process I learned that the region Aquitaine (consisting of the departments Gironde, Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques) is also the Texas of France; it is rich in oil.
Anne-Laure Moniot, Direction de l'Urbanisme, Mairie de Bordeaux, introduced me to the master plan for the city of Bordeaux and its surrounding areas. The fairly recent tramway is a beginning point for these efforts. Other projects: publications on the special architectural heritage of the city of Bordeaux and an inventory of all buildings in the historic center tied to a GIS system. Bordeaux was the host city for the December 2008 conference on "Aménegement durable et Patrimoine" (Durable Development and Heritage) because of its leadership in this area.
I also met with Véronique Villaneau-Ecalle, a heritage architect and professor at École du Chaillot, and her husband Olivier Ecalle, a mechanical engineer focused on industry processes. Their house is a wonderful example of passive ventilation and cooling from the 18th or 19th century. Véronique and I also visited Nobatek - EcoCampus at University of Bordeaux, Talence, where Jérôme Lopez and Philippe Lagière, Nobatek - EcoCampus, gave us an overview of their research efforts.
Yes, it was a lot in three days. Many thanks to all who welcomed me.
Monday, 23 November, I was welcomed by François Gondran and Xavier Clarke de Dromantin with the Service Départemental de l'architecture et du Patrimoine (SDAP) of la Gironde (department 33). This region includes landscape known for its vinyards and wine - Medoc, Saint Emilion, to name a few. It also includes the Vauban citadel at Blaye, part of the multi-property UNESCO World Heritage Site, "Fortifications of Vauban". Vauban was the military architect-engineer of Louis XIV.
The department is studying how to respond to the national requirement to install photovoltaic centers in the landscape - and what are the guidelines for individuals wishing to install them. I also attended a departmental Commission meeting about proposed work in protected nature, landscapes, and sites. These meetings are very similar to Commission of Fine Arts, NCPC, or DC Historic Preservation Review Board meetings in Washington. However, in France, these meetings are not open to the public. While the applicant hears the staff recommendation and responds to questions, the Commission's vote is not conducted in the presence of the applicants. They learn of the result via formal written notification after the fact. Through this process I learned that the region Aquitaine (consisting of the departments Gironde, Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques) is also the Texas of France; it is rich in oil.
Anne-Laure Moniot, Direction de l'Urbanisme, Mairie de Bordeaux, introduced me to the master plan for the city of Bordeaux and its surrounding areas. The fairly recent tramway is a beginning point for these efforts. Other projects: publications on the special architectural heritage of the city of Bordeaux and an inventory of all buildings in the historic center tied to a GIS system. Bordeaux was the host city for the December 2008 conference on "Aménegement durable et Patrimoine" (Durable Development and Heritage) because of its leadership in this area.
I also met with Véronique Villaneau-Ecalle, a heritage architect and professor at École du Chaillot, and her husband Olivier Ecalle, a mechanical engineer focused on industry processes. Their house is a wonderful example of passive ventilation and cooling from the 18th or 19th century. Véronique and I also visited Nobatek - EcoCampus at University of Bordeaux, Talence, where Jérôme Lopez and Philippe Lagière, Nobatek - EcoCampus, gave us an overview of their research efforts.
Yes, it was a lot in three days. Many thanks to all who welcomed me.
