He would remain in charge until 1892. He introduced photography of archaeological sites and of monuments. A series covered the buildings erected for the Exposition Universelle (1889). In 1890 De Baudot also became responsible for publication of the "Bulletin de l'Union syndicale des architectes français". This may have served as a distraction from his work on the encyclopedia. Anatole de Baudot took great interest in churches. He noted that the practical problem to be solved was the same in the 19th century as in the 13th century. In an 1866 article in the "Gazette" he pointed out that the main requirements for church builders were to cover large spaces with few internal supports so that many believers could move easily, and to meet the needs of the religion. In 1869 he published "Église du bourgs et de villages", which discussed and compared old and modern forms of churches, arguing the case for constant improvements in architectural design. The minister for public education and cults designated him architect of diocesan buildings in 1873,  and he rose to the position of inspector general of diocesan buildings in 1879. De Baudot was made a member of the Committee on Historical Monuments on 27 March 1879. He was appointed Vice-President of the Commission of Historical Monuments in 1880. In 1907 he was appointed Inspector General of Historical Monuments. In 1882 Anatole de Baudot was appointed architect for the new Lycée Lakanal, a boarding school in Sceaux set in the former park of the Duchess of Maine. It included the administration building, classrooms, studies and dormitories, baths, kitchens and dining rooms. He designed the buildings to capture as much light and air as possible. He broke with the tradition in which courtyards were surrounded by buildings. De Baudot used a combination of brick, stone and metal, creating a polychrome design. His buildings were modern and functional. De Baudot was interested in exploring use of new materials as a vehicle for expressing new architectural ideas,  and became interested in the potential of reinforced concrete. He adopted the system developed by Paul Cottancin, an engineer from the Ecole centrale des arts et manufactures,  based on columns and arches of cement reinforced by iron rods and a wire mesh. He said that this material gave the architect a simplified way to ensure unity of structure. De Baudot's design for the church of Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre, Paris, whose construction started in 1894, was the first to use a reinforced concrete framework enclosed by thin exterior walls.