Le Figaro Economie
Architects are becoming popular with companies
ARCHITECTS speak their mind. The industry is taking advantage of the election campaigns to make its voice heard. “The France of tomorrow needs architects,” is written on 10,000 signs that have been paraded throughout France for the past week. Architects have presented their ideas for publication in the state’s policy book on topics which include housing, urban planning and reviving rougher neighbourhoods. A blog, www.architecture2007.com, opens the debate.
This is an opportunity for the industry to show off its success. “The construction sector is doing well,” happily declares Bernard Figiel, President of the National Council of the Order of Architects. “As a result, architects can get out of the rut." 2006 marks the year in which the industry was able to fully recover after 10 years of hardship. In 2005, EUR 34.2 billion were declared to the authorities of the National Order of Architects for construction projects, representing a 16% increase. “Currently, there are not enough architects to meet demand.” Despite this, the industry is well-balanced overall, with respect to status type—independents versus salaried employees—project size, fields of activity and employer type. And the majority of architectural firms employ less than two people. In a study, the National Council found that 80% of projects are run by 20% of architectural firms. The largest portion of building projects are for individual houses, followed by collective housing and public facilities.
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Industry figures40,000 graduates, of which 28,035 are officially registered. Among them, 33% are from Paris or its suburbs, 19% are women and 59% have a private practice. |
« The French touch »
The 1980s were characterized by large construction projects initiated by the government; however, over the past decade, private projects have been gradually increasing in volume. “The opportunities have become diversified,” explains Architect Dominique Noël, founder of ArchiBat—a recruiting agency specialised in the architectural industry created in 1985. “We help in expanding the number of positions that can be filled by architects in companies, which today represent an alternative to architectural firms." From the luxury product sector to real estate development, and passing through the large retailers, ArchiBat currently has 380 positions to offer potential candidates. Why is there such high demand? “People today are much more concerned about the quality of their workspace,” adds Dominique Noël, who will be opening an office in Shanghai later this year.
French architects are becoming international. “French know-how in project management is recognized around the world, particularly for their ability to build multi-disciplinary partnerships,” comments Bernard Figiel, who recently received a Chinese delegation in Paris. Nonetheless, the size of firms—which are generally small—still remains to be the primary obstacle for export. And business beyond our borders remains to be monopolised by the big players, such as Valode & Pistre, Jean Nouvel or Christian de Portzamparc. “Despite international competition, the French touch is still highly regarded the world over,” remarks Denis Valode, who runs several offices worldwide.
Keren Lentschner - Le
Figaro, February 12, 2007