[1] Before World War II, Durand was active in designing buildings around Les Sables d'Olonne; among the most notable were the Rudelière casino, the church of Saint Peter, the "Notre-Dame de France" clinic, and a number of hotels.
German troops had destroyed many navigational aids along the French coast as part of their retreat in 1944, and many lighthouses had to be reconstructed in the decade after the war.
The four were built in an Art Deco style; notably, each tower was designed as a unique building, different from the others in the series.
He oversaw the renovation of the City Hall, the Grand Casino, the place du Tribunal, and the Caisse d’Épargne, and participated in the restoration of the Abbey of Sainte-Croix.
At the start of the 1970s, he was involved in one more restoration project, the work on the church of Saint Nicholas in La Chaume.