Earth is a natural, traditional, local and ecological building material. It is also a strong component of the Mediterranean constructive cultures.

With the MediTERRE project, we want to encourage the promotion of the earthen material throughout the region by means of exchange, cooperation and communication.

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Where? The Mediterranean, my unknown “earth”.

The Mediterranean. 22 countries gathered around a sea. A climate and land that gave oil, wine, bread but also materials to build. Here, as in everywhere, men used what they had under their feet: earth and stone. The popular imagination has kept the dry stone masonry, the ancient ruins and the whitewashed houses. We have forgotten the bricks, the cob, the rammed earth, the plasters, the mortars and the roofs made of earth.

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However, over the last few decades, Mediterranean local initiatives in favor of earth have multiplied. Some have even started to talk about this material as a major component of the Mediterranean cultural identity, highlighting the potential local economic spin-offs and bioclimatic issues.

What? MediTERRE, the Network of Mediterranean earthen professionals.

Throughout the Mediterranean, professionals have been working to promote the use of earth as a building material for years: MediTERRE wishes to highlight this field work and participate in its development by creating the network of Mediterranean earthen professionals.

Today, we want to realize the creation of the MediTERRE network by launching its website mediterrenet.org.

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MediTERRE wishes to:

● bring together local actors working for the valorisation of earthen architecture around the Mediterranean basin;

● give more visibility to these actors;

● provide a platform for earthen professionals to facilitate the exchange, cooperation and communication.

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When?

The online launching of the website mediterrenet.org is scheduled for spring 2017.

Who ?

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We are three earthen professionals who share a common passion for the Mediterranean Rim. We decided to create the MediTERRE following our meeting at the Earthen Architecture DSA of the National School of Architecture of Grenoble (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Grenoble) in 2014 (CRAterre-ENSAG). We like to work together to develop projects combining eco-construction and protection of local Mediterranean identities:

To spiti tou Pappou : restauration of a traditionnal house with local and natural materials through educative workshops on the Gavdos Island, Greece ( July 2015) :

Realisation of an earthen plaster (March 2015) :

Oumaïma BOUSLAMA (Tunisia)

Architect HMONP graduated from the National School of Architecture of Grenoble (ENSAG). Graduate of the DSA in Earthen Architecture of the ENSAG. Specializing in earthen and lime plasters, has been working since 2013 on the TecERRA project that she co-founded and is working on the development of training courses on earthen construction techniques and natural coatings in France and Tunisia.

Marta MIRANDA SANTOS (Spain)

Technical architect graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique de Barcelona, Master in Development and International Cooperation from the University of the Basque Country, specializing in earthen architecture (DSA in earthen architecture of the National School of Architecture of Grenoble ). Currently based in Nantes (France).

Claire OIRY (France)

Architect HMONP, graduated from the National School of Architecture of Paris La Villette. Graduate of the DSA in Earthen Architecture from the National School of Architecture of Grenoble. Based in Chania (Crete, Greece). Development of projects to promote and safeguard the Greek vernacular earthen heritage, in collaboration with local institutions. Realization of natural plasters with local materials and organization of training sessions and awareness of earthen architecture with the collective Spiti Spitaki. Active member of the association Piliko, Cretan association for the promotion of the earthen material.

How?

Every professional wishing to join the MediTERRE network, or post an event, will simply have to complete a short membership form.

The web site mediterrenet.org swill be made by a professional wordpress developer :

The agency Petit (à) Petit.

Three versions will be available: English, French and Spanish.

Project history

The MediTERRE project is a follow-up to theTerra-Med Project “Analysis of activities about earthen architecture in the Mediterranean basin” (CRATerre-EAG, GCI, ICCROM), initiated by Alejandro Alva and Cristina Albertini in 2004.

It is also the fruit of a research work started, within the framework of the DSA Earthen Architecture of the National School of Architecture of Grenoble, in April 2015 by Marta Miranda Santos, Oumaima Bouslama and Claire Oiry entitled "Terres du milieu, towards a Mediterranean network?". It was the subject of the collective part of the dissertation of the Specialization and Deepening Diploma - Earthen Architecture - by Claire Oiry and Oumaima Bouslama (National School of Architecture of Grenoble).

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Why promote earth as a building material?

Earth has been used as a building material for millennia. Earthen construction techniques are the fruit of ancestral cultural heritage. Building and restoring with the earth is first and foremost a dynamic of continuity by showing that these techniques are not part of the past but adapt very well to the needs of today.

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Globally, cement production accounts for around 5% of total CO2 emissions. It is therefore clear that the reduction of use of cement in construction can significantly decrease the negative impacts of the building industry on the environment. This reduction must be made in favor of energy-saving materials, such as earth, and exclude synthetic materials or chemicals that contaminate soil, air, water, animal species and, of course, Human kind.

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Building with earth means choosing a local material to avoid energy-intensive transport and fighting against global standardization while reducing the cost of construction.

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The earthen material is permeable and breathable. It allows hygrometric and thermal regulation of buildings. Moreover, on the aesthetic level, the earth offers colors whose shades are difficult to imitate by synthetic paints and coatings.

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Earth is a natural, traditional, local and ecological building material.

It is also a strong component of Mediterranean constructive cultures.

With the MediTERRE project, we want to encourage the promotion of the earthen material throughout the basin through exchange, cooperation and communication.

Help us set up the first network of Mediterranean earthen professionals!

MediTERRE, un site internet pour le réseau de la construction terre méditerranéen.