Hélène Fernandez appointed director of architecture at the Ministry of Culture
On the proposal of Rima Abdul Malak, Minister of Culture, the President of the Republic has appointed Hélène Fernandez, director, assistant to the general director of heritage and architecture, in charge of architecture.
Architect and general state town planner, Hélène Fernandez is a graduate of the National School of Architecture of Versailles and holds a doctorate in architecture and town planning from the University of Paris 8.
Senior civil servant and adviser to the mayor of Paris
After having worked in several architecture and urban planning agencies, in particular the Philippe Panerai agency, she joined the public service occupying several positions of responsibility in the regional and interdepartmental management of equipment and development of Île-de-France. -France where she was director of the departmental unit of Seine-Saint-Denis.
Between 2009 and 2013, Hélène Fernandez was advisor to the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, in charge of Paris Métropole and territorial cooperation. Between 2014 and 2018, she served as Deputy Director of Architecture, Construction Quality and Living Environment at the Ministry of Culture. Since 2018, she has been a senior civil servant in charge of equality between women and men and the fight against discrimination in the ministries in charge of ecological transition, territorial cohesion, energetic transition and the sea.
First project: the situation of Ensa
Hélène Fernandez’s first priority will be dedicated to the National Schools of Architecture (Ensa), the ministry said. She will have to “propose measures to the Minister to respond to the challenges they face”. Schools of architecture have been blocked for several weeks, with students and staff asking for resources “equivalent to other students”.
For the ministry, “Progress has been made since 2018 in terms of staffing, and the France Relance plan has made it possible to strengthen real estate investment and the ministry’s 2023 budget devotes a 20% increase in credits allocated to Ensa”. A comprehensive roadmap for the future of these schools should “continue the path”.
Hélène Fernandez will also be responsible for updating the national strategy for architecture, to better take into account the challenges of ecological transition, the rehabilitation of existing buildings, the diversification of architectural professions and the place of contemporary creation, indicates the Ministry of Culture.
Aurélie Cousi appointed CEO of Euroméditerranée
Rima Abdul Malak, Minister of Culture, welcomes the action of Aurélie Cousi, appointed director general of the public development establishment Euroméditerranée. The senior official knew, “in the difficult context of the health crisis, carrying out essential projects” such as the creation of an observatory of the economy of architecture and the launch of the project “Committed to the quality of housing of tomorrow” in conjunction with the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Before leaving office, she notably contributed to the preparation of Reseda, the first national ranking in favor of sustainable development intended for Ensa students, announced by the Minister last January.
