Ecole d'Avignon

Funded in the area of the Cultural Programme of the European Union, and co-funded by the region Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, the project TERRA inCOGNITA : earth architecture in Europe, will we launched in november 2009 by l'Ecole d'Avignon, its leader.

Two complementary objectives : to sensibilize and to put in relation.
This project has two complementary objectives : in one hand to get to know and to develop the heritage of earth-architecture in Europe, and on the other hand, to build, reinforce and stimulate the link between the differents actors of earth-architecture construction in Europe.

The origins of the project : context, stakes
The construction methods with mudbrick gave, from all time and to a recent age, an architecture spread in numerous european countries. Thermal quality of mudbrick, and the disponibility of the material made it an interesting choice in the edification of houses. In spite of the technologies developed through time, this architecture is still fragiled and threatened. The european earth heritage, unknown and suffering from the escheat of construction and maintenance techniques, and the associated knowledge, is getting smaller each day, or sustain irreversible alterations. Researchs and projects are held in order to rehabilitate the image of this construction art, and to underline its great environmental and climatic abilities.

These stakes are relevant to both, save an exceptionnal heritage and to promote a durable contemporary architecture, deserve to be more known and spread. First to concerned professionnals, to the regulatory authority and to the general public.

A first project, named "Terra Incognita - European conservatory of earth architecture" had established an inventory of fixtures, by proposing a technical inventory and a common methodology of conservation and protection. There was still things undone. Like promoting initiatives aiming at getting the public to know the earth, its heritage and application better. And to build or confort an european network of earth construction actors.

The current project : the activities
Two types of activities will be developed in this project : "network" activities and "sensibilisation" activities.

- The "network" activities :
- Network missions : identification and meetings of european actors for the earth construction, settling the technical context and the rules.
- An international colloque, its objectives will be to show the possible interaction between earth heritage and durable contemporary construction.
- The "sensibilisation" activities :
- A photographic exposition : the aestetical and anthropological dimension of earth house will be shown. This exposition will be presented with an illustrated book, and will travel between different partners cities.

A website relay the information on these activities, and is used as an exchange platform : http://www.culture-terra-incognita.org/

The expected results :
- the constitution of a network, and the set up of a label that will contribute to perpetuate the results and the approach of the project.
- A better knowledge, from the general public, of the stakes of heritage conservation in the matter of earth architecture.
- A valorisation of these architectures through an artistic view that will contribute to show an anthropological dimension.
- An initial reflexion on the link between traditions and actuals requirements, in the matter of construction, architecture, and urbanism.

The expected audience
- Research and training institutions.
- Concerned professionnals.
- Schools and training centre in construction techniques.
- The state authority that owns earth building.
- Populations living in earth building.
- The general public.

Partners of the project :
- Conseil d'Architecture, d'Urbanisme et de l'Environnement du Vaucluse - CAUE 84 (France) ;
- Universidad Politecnica de Valencia UPV, Ecole supérieure d'architecture (Espagne);
- Universittà degli studi di Firenze, Département d'architecture et de design (Italie);
- Escola Superior Gallaecia (Portugal) ;
- Section Française de l'ICOMOS (associated partner).

Lenght of the action
24 months (november 2009 to october 2011)

With the support of the Cultural Programme of the European Union.