The Last Straw, No. 62 featured an article by Michel Couvreux called “Selecting a Natural Hydraulic Lime: What to Look For”
In the article, Michel discusses the following:
- Definitions
- Norms and Standards
- Misleading Information
Natural Hydraulic Lime
The restoration of The Huntington Japanese House and Gardens recently won a 2013 California Preservation Award. This project preserves a unique cultural landscape, including the internationally renowned conservation of the Japanese House and restoration of one of the oldest-surviving Japanese Gardens in the United States.
3-coat lime plaster on metal lath was used for the restoration. Lime paint was also used extensively throughout the project.
View more information from the architectural firm, Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architecture, Inc.
The restoration of The Huntington Japanese House and Gardens has also won the following awards:
2012 American Institute of Architects
Los Angeles Chapter, Design Award
2012 American Institute of Architects
Pasadena Foothill Chapter, Merit Award
2012 Planet Award
Source: SABMag
Excerpt:
Even in the innovative and rapidly changing world of green building, some of the old ways and traditional materials are often the best. For thousands of years, natural clay and lime plasters have been used to create beautiful and long-lasting interior and exterior finishes. While these materials continue to be used extensively throughout the world, they have been largely replaced in North America by cement and acrylic stuccos.
Lime from TransMineral USA, Inc. was used by Cal Poly Pomona’s Concrete Canoe Team.
Source: Green Building Product Dealer, Jan/Feb 2010
“One of the strongest markets for lime plaster is in restoration. ‘The reason for that,’ says Michel Couvreux of TransMineral USA, ‘is that we have a real material.'”
Source: Berkeley Design Advocates
The Berkeley Design Advocates have named The Read Building as one of six outstanding structures in the City of Berkeley for 2009-2010. The Read Building features Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime Plaster.
TransMineral, USA was established in 1997 by Michel Couvreux, an architect in France and the U.S. His familiarity with traditional “old world” building techniques and materials have been instrumental in their revitalization in the U.S. along with his stewardship of implanting Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime in the North American building sector.