IHBA Director Steve Allin visited the site of the invention of hempcrete. Local artisan Charles Rasetti was commissioned in 1986 to repair the Maison de la Turque, a landmark building in Nogent-sur-Seine in the Aube region of France.
Famous for being mentioned by Flaubert in the 19th century, the house was in dire need of renovation when Rasetti conceived the ideal infill for the ancient oak frame.
When Steve visited the house in November 2024, 38 years later, the hempcrete was in perfect condition behind the façade of lime plaster.
Photograph by Nick Gore 2024.