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François LeBlanc

Conservation Architect

General information

205 Bolton St., Suite 232, Ottawa, ON, CANADA K1N 1K7
Tel. 1 (613) 244-0519
Email: fleblanc@icomos.org
Web: http://www.icomos.org/~fleblanc

Languages : French and English
Nationality : Canadian

Education

• 1967 B.A. (arts) Séminaire de St-Jean, QC, Canada
• 1971 B.A. architecture, Montreal University, QC, Canada
• 1972-1974 Heritage conservation courses, gov. of Canada, Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Restoration Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada
• 1973 Historic Buildings Conservation, University of York, England, Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies

Short Courses

• 1972 Innovative Problem Solving Techniques, Public Service Commission of Canada, Ottawa (Ontario)
• 1978 Historic Buildings and Sites Conservation, Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa (Ontario)
• 1978 Senior Management, Public Service Commission of Canada, Ottawa (Ontario)
• 1985 Improving your Real Estate Investment Decisions, McGill University, Montreal (Quebec)
• 1989 Historic Highrise, Association for Preservation Technology, Chicago (Illinois, USA)
• 1994 AutoCAD Computer Aided Design, Carleton University, Ottawa (Ontario)
• 1995 Developing a Concrete Restoration Strategy, NCC, Ottawa (Ontario)
• 2006 Consensus Building, Getty Conservation Institute (California, USA)
• 2007 Project Evaluation, Getty Conservation Institute (California, USA)
  

Career

2007- Consultant

1992-2001 National Capital Commission, Ottawa, Ontario, Chief Architect
(1,600 buildings of which 56 are historic sites)

1983-92 Heritage Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Vice-president (properties, Main Street, Heritage Regions, Heritage Discovery, Heritage Entrepreneurship).

1979-83 International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS, Paris, France, Director and Advisor to UNESCO).

1975-79 Parks Canada, Quebec, Chief, Engineering and Architecture, Quebec Region Historic Parks and Sites.

1971-75 Parks Canada, Ottawa, Chief Architect, monuments and sites of the French Regime.

Professional Associations

• Quebec Order of Architects (1976-2007)
• Royal Architectural Institute of Canda (1976-2002)
• The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) (Board member 1975-77, Secretary-Treasurer 1986-90, College of Fellows 2003)
• ICOMOS Canada (Sec.-Treasurer 1975-77 and 1985-90, President 1991-94)
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (Executive Committee 1984-87)

Expertise and Skills

National expertise

Architectural and Community Development work with representatives from departments, ministries, companies and institutions in all provinces and territories of Canada.

International expertise

Head of Field Projects, Getty Conservation Institute, projects and activities in 24 countries; Director of The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) an international organization headquartered in Paris, France, Advisor to UNESCO, especially for the World Heritage Convention, expert missions to Lebanon, Greece and Mozambique, project management in Egypt, direction of professional teams for missions to Yemen, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Tunisia and Tanzania.

Personnel Management

Management of support and professional staff and multi-disciplinary teams made up of marketing, commercial and economic development, tourism and real estate specialists, architects, engineers, historians, archaeologists, landscape architects, planners, and specialized craftsmen.

Community Development & Participation

Director of a national program involving communities in the development of their heritage resources while improving their commercial viability. The Main Street Canada Program helped more than 100 communities to revitalize their downtown while saving their heritage buildings.

Heritage Tourism

Director of a national program helping communities in large regions to develop heritage tourism in an incremental and practical way. The program helps the residents of a network of areas across Canada protect their natural and cultural resources and use them as the basis for economic revitalization.

Real estate

Major renovation and reuse projects such as Les Quartiers de l'Intendant (Quebec City), condominiums, 10 million dollars project; Place Andrew Paton, (Sherbrooke, Quebec), 48 condominium project; experience with purchase and sale, maintenance and renovation of properties, preparation of pro forma, evaluations and assessment of condition.

Project management

Management of complex historic monuments and sites restoration projects involving large capital investments and the participation of multi-disciplinary teams of professionals and consultant firms. Management of personnel, budgets and schedules for projects such as Fort Chambly, the Forges of Saint-Maurice, and Artillery Park (Quebec City), Canada & the World Pavilion (Ottawa), Official Residences of the Gov. of Canada (Ottawa).

Communications

Bilingual, English and French. National and international lecturer. Published articles in scientific and technical magazines and was often interviewed on television and radio.

Architecture

Feasibility studies, recording of buildings, preparation of estimates and budgets, production of plans and specifications, site supervision.

Software

Practical knowledge of Internet communications (HTML & WWW), Computer Aided Design (CAD, especially 3D), word-processing, graphic design and publishing, spreadsheet, database, financial and project management software, audio & video software.

Teaching

Teaching conservation courses to members of the Quebec Order of Architects and Guest lecturer at the universities of Montreal, Calgary and at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Research

Director of research programs in applied stereophotogrammetry, stabilization, consolidation and conservation techniques and in radiothermoluminescence. Developed research programs in small community downtown revitalization, heritage tourism and heritage inventory.

Partial List of projects

Canada, downtown revitalization :

• Newfoundland and Labrador : St.John's, Carbonear, Corner Brook
• Nova Scotia : Yarmouth, Bridgetown, Windsor, Bridgewater
• New Brunswick : Shediac, St.John, Sackville, Dalhousie, Chatham, Newcastle
• Quebec : Bonaventure, Dégelis, Matane, Rimouski, Rivière-du-Loup, Verdun, Mascouche, La Baie, St-Hyacinthe, Granby, Ste-Marie-de- Beauce, St-Joseph, St-Georges, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu
• Ontario : Prescott, Vanier, Sarnia, Hamilton, Sudbury, Newcastle, Brockville, Lindsay, Seaforth, Orangeville, Owen Sound, Withby
• Manitoba : Brandon, Dauphin
• Saskatchewan : Saskatoon, Gravelbourg, Moose Jaw
• Alberta : Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, Peace River, Crowsnest Pass, Cardston, Lacombe, Drumheller, Fort Macleod
• British Columbia : Nelson, Ladysmith, Victoria
• Yukon : Whitehorse
• North West Territories : Yellowknife.

Canada, Heritage Tourism and Ecomuseums

• British Columbia : Cowichan-Chemainus Valleys Ecomuseum
• Ontario : Lanark County and Manitoulin Island
• Newfoundland and Labrador : Labrador Straits, Baccalieu Trail

Canada, engineering and architecture

• Quebec : Fort Chambly, Fort Lennox, Fort Levis, Quebec Fortifications, Artillery Park, Les Quartiers de l'Intendant (condominium), Place Andrew Paton (condominium), Maison Cartier, Maison Laurier, Lachine Canal, Chambly Canal, Forillon Park, Mauricie Park, Chapelle Papineau
• Nova Scotia : Louisbourg Fortress, Runciman House, Halifax Waterfront Buildings
• Newfoundland and Labrador : Cape Spear Lighthouse, St.Thomas Rectory, St.Andrews Church
• Manitoba : Lower Fort Garry, Riel House
• British Columbia : Fort St.James
• Ontario : Fort Prescott, Myrtleville Farmstead, Birkett Castle (306 Metcalfe Ottawa), Residences of the Prime Minister, the Governor General, the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker of the House, other residential and commercial buildings

In foreign countries

• Australia: Tasmania, Port Arthur, Case study in Values-based management
• China: Mogao Wall paintings and China Principles
• Cyprus: CIPA Heritage RecorDIM workshop on international standards in recording and documentation; evaluation of past treatment of the Orpheus mosaic
• Egypt : Ben Ezra Synagogue (restoration); Valley of the Queens management plan and conservation training; evaluation of past treatment, Tomb of Nefertari
• El Salvador: Joya de Céren, site management plan
• Greece : Selection of sites for the World Heritage List
• Honduras: Copan Hieroglyphic Stairways conservation plan
• India: Taj Mahal Collaborative Advisory Committee
• Iraq: Training in conservation and development of national inventory system
• Italy:ICCROM, ARIS-05 and ARIS-07, training in recording and documentation
• Japan: UNITAR training in values-based management
• Jordan: Jarash, Case study in Values-based management and development of national inventory system
• Lebanon : Tyre (evaluation of war damage to Roman and Islamic historic sites )
• Mali: Terra 2008, International conference on conservation of earthen architecture
• Mexico: Evaluation of past treatments
• Morocco: Development of building code to include earthen architecture
• Peru: Cusco, Organization of World Heritage Cities 2005 World Congress; collaboration with Pontifica University on consolidation of earthen architecture
• Russia: Kazan, Organization of World Heritage Cities 2007 World Congress
• South Africa: Training for conservation of Rock Art
• Spain: Seville, Workshop and publication on conservation of polychromed altarpieces
• Sri Lanka : Colombo (radiothermoluminescence laboratory and equipment development)
• Tunisia: Conservation of mosaics in situ
• Turkey: Istanbul and Antalya CIPA Heritage Documentation workshops on RecorDIM
• United Kingdom: Hadrian's Wall, Case study in Values-based management
• USA: Chaco Canyon, Case study in Values-based management; City of Los Angeles, development of inventory system for historic resources
• Yemen : Shibam (Wadi Hadramout dam), Sana'a (protection and development plan)

Publications

• LeBlanc, F.; What is the conservation process of cultural heritage places?; Recording, Documentation and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places - Guiding Principles, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 2007
• Eppich, R.; LeBlanc, F.; Documenting Our Past for the Future; Getty Conservation Institute Newsletter, Vol.20 No.3, Los Angeles, USA, 2005
• LeBlanc, F.; Myers, D.; Values in site management - case histories from four countries; Values-based decision-making for conservation Symposium Proceedings - Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, Nov. 2005 - Pdf format
• LeBlanc, F.; Principles & Guidelines for Recording, documentation and Information Management of the Built Cultural Heritage; CIPA Heritage Documentation, XXth International Symposium of CIPA, Torino, Italy, Sept. 2005 - Pdf format
• LeBlanc, F.; Values, Authenticity and Integrity for Good Management; World Heritage Directorate of Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, August, 2005
• LeBlanc, F.; The Recording, Documentation and Information Management Initiative; American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Minneapolis, MN, USA, June, 2005
• LeBlanc, F.; Challenges and opportunities created by digital, technical and scientific environments at the Getty Conservation Institute; New Ways & New Technologies, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Oct. 13-15, 2004
• LeBlanc, F.; Principles, Practice and Process - A discussion about Heritage Charters and Conventions; The Getty Conservation Institute Newsletter, Vol.19 No.2, 2004 pp.10-15
• LeBlanc, F.; L'importance des réseaux nationaux et internationaux pour la conservation du patrimoine; In: Des métiers... de la tradition à la création, Les Éditions GIDE, Québec, 2003 pp. 162-165
• LeBlanc, F.; Wiedemann, A.; Contribution Of Simple Teaching Tools To The RecorDIM Initiative; CIPA Heritage Documentation, XIXth International Symposium of CIPA, Antalya, Turkey, Sept. 2003 pp. 686-689 - Pdf format
• LeBlanc, F.; Regional Natural Parks of France and Heritage Regions of Canada: Two Practical Approaches for Developing Sustainable Tourism Attractions; Americanistas Conference, Santiago, Chile, July 2003
• LeBlanc, F.; The Getty Conservation Institute Proposed Partnership with ICOMOS-CIPA for Recording, Documentation and Information Management; CIPA Heritage Documentation, XVIIIth International Symposium of CIPA, Potsdam, Germany, Sept. 18-21, 2001 pp.315-321 - Pdf format
• LeBlanc, F.; Finding the Construction Industry in Canada and International Heritage conservation on the Internet; Construct Canada'99, Toronto - Ontario 1999
• LeBlanc, F.; Sharing conservation knowledge through the Internet; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol6, No.2, 1997 pp.42-50
• LeBlanc, F.; The rehabilitation of 465 Sussex Drive in Ottawa; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.6, No.1, 1997 pp.37-41
• LeBlanc, F.; Comment saurons-nous si notre projet a réussi?; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol 4, No.3, 1995 pp. 9-11
• LeBlanc, F.; Consolidation of the Quebec City Fortification Walls; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.4, No.1, 1994 pp. 16-18
• LeBlanc, F.; Conseil international des métiers du patrimoine; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.4, No.1, 1994 pp. 11-12
• LeBlanc, F.; Regional Natural Parks of France and Heritage Regions of Canada: Two New Approaches for Developing sustainable Tourism Attractions; Cultural Tourism International Scientific Symposium, ICOMOS 10th General Assembly, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1993 pp. 104-119
• LeBlanc, F.; Is Everything Heritage?; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.2, No.2, 1993 pp. 2-3
• LeBlanc, F.; Régions de patrimoine (Canada) et parcs naturels régionaux (France): des approches qui rejoignent les attentes des résidents et celles des visiteurs; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.I, No.1, 1992 pp. 52-56
• LeBlanc, F.; La Commission de la Capitale nationale et la gestion des ressources en fonction du cycle de vie; ICOMOS Canada Bulletin, Vol.1 No.3 1992 pp.7-11
• LeBlanc, F.; Concept général pour l'éclairage des fortifications de Québec; Les cahiers de la Section française de l'ICOMOS; rouen, 23-24 mars 1990 pp.43-47
• LeBlanc, F.; La renaissance des centres-villes: le programme Rues principales; Plan Canada, sept. 1989 pp.8-13
• LeBlanc, F.; How Main Street Grew; Heritage Canada Main Street Program marketing publication; 1989
• LeBlanc, F.; ICOMOS - the 8th General Assembly and APT; APT Communique, Vol XVI, No.6, Dec. 1987 pp. 6-7
• LeBlanc, F.; Reflections on Main Street; An interview with François LeBlanc; Main Street Canada Newsletter, Vol.3, No.2, Mar.-Apr. 1987
• LeBlanc, F.; Restoration of the Ben Ezra synagogue, Cairo; ICOMOS Canada English speaking committee newsletter, Vol. 7, N.1, 1986 p.6
• LeBlanc, F.; L'union fait la force : la reconversion de la "Paton" à Sherbrooke le prouve; Continuité, no.27, 1985 p.6
• LeBlanc, F.; Revitaliser les rues principales; Continuité, no.25, 1984 p.6
• LeBlanc, F.; An inside view of the Convention; Monumentum, Special Issue 1984, pp. 17-32
• LeBlanc, F.; La Tour Eiffel: des travaux pour 40 milliards de lires; In: Restauro, 1982
• LeBlanc, F.; Quelques aspects de la problématique internationale de la conservation des quartiers anciens; Assemblée annuelle de l'Association internationale pour la préservation et ses techniques, Québec, 1980.
• LeBlanc, F.; Le ravalement des façades du Parlement de Québec; Conseil des monuments et sites du Quebec, no. 7, 1979 pp. 3-7
• LeBlanc, F.; L'Art du Menuisier, par J.A. Roubo le fils, Compagnon Menuisier; APT Bulletin, Vol.10, no.4, 1978, p.67
• LeBlanc, F.; Injection d'époxy sous pression, Fort No.1, Lauzon, Québec; APT Bulletin, Vol.10, no.3, 1978, p.41
• LeBlanc, F.; Note sur le séchage des bois; APT Bulletin, Vol.6, no.3, 1974, p.153