Transmineral

subsidiary of Saint-Astier®

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Carmel Mission – Carmel, California

First built in 1771, the Carmel mission is in the midst of its third renovation. In need of some serious repair due to damage from previous restorations where cement was used, NHL 2, 3.5, and 5 was used. In particular, the dome needed some special attention requiring some lime injection and use of NHL 3.5 to fill the cavities. NHL 2 was used to coat the dome to allow for some flexibility and then finished with a lime wash. NHL 5 was used in some lower areas of the mission that required some sloping.

http://www.carmelmission.org/

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870.  The Restoration of the Fifth Avenue façade presented many challenges in balancing modern intervention with traditional restoration procedures.  The selection, testing and ultimate adoption of Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime mortars was based on ASTM, British Standards and European Norms.  The masonry had suffered significant damage from the use of high-strength cement based mortar.

The Restoration of the Fifth Avenue Facades of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (pdf) by Timothy Allanbrook and Kyle C. Normandin, APT International Bulletin, Vol. XXXVIIII, No. 4.

The Smuggler’s Ranch House, Santa Cruz Island, California

The Smuggler’s Ranch House, located on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of Santa Barbara, California was originally built in 1887 out of rubble masonry with lime mortar to hold it all together. The island used to be the largest privately held island off the continental United States before being transferred to the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy. It was used for extensive ranching for much of its history but can now be visited as a National Park. The restoration of the Smuggler’s Ranch House began in the summer of 2012 using the 3-coat process with different graded EcoMortar® and finished with Lime Paint.

The Japanese House and Gardens at The Huntington, San Marino

The Centenary Restoration of The Huntington Japanese House and Gardens 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.

Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architecture, Inc.
http://www.ksmarchitecture.com/projects/japanese-house/

The restoration of The Huntington Japanese House and Gardens has won several awards:

2012 American Institute of Architects
Los Angeles Chapter, Design Award

2012 American Institute of Architects
Pasadena Foothill Chapter, Merit Award

2012 Planet Award

2013 California Preservation Award
http://californiapreservation.org/story/celebrate/awards/

Images: Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architecture, Inc.

About TransMineral

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.

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