Architects Of The Future: Check Out This Sustainable Building Made With Hemp

By Lucía Tedesco via El Planteo

Two architects from the United Kingdom are using their own space to show their commitment to sustainable construction through the use of hemp.

The directors of the London architectural studio Commonbond Architects, Kate Nicklin and Graham Mateer, built a studio with biocircular and sustainable construction materials, including hempcrete. Their motivation for the project was "to explore the potential of using hempcrete as a breathable biocircular building material," according to High Times.

They not only used this versatile plant but also reclaimed materials and a wooden frame to create the cubic volume. "The main idea behind the project was to create something that felt permanent and not like a standard lightweight timber shed," Nicklin explained about the construction located in the garden of their bungalow.

Check out the pictures here.

Hemp Building: A Sustainable And Easy-To-Obtain Option In The UK

Hemp concrete, known as hempcrete in the construction field, "creates a healthy environment to be in with no off-gassing and its breathable properties, that it sequesters carbon and is ultimately biodegradable."

"We like that it can be sourced in the UK and supports small producers", Nicklin added.

Construction of the studio began in May 2020 and was completed in July last year. The RIBA Journal highlighted that "the couple had development in mind when, as project architects with 10 years’ experience at other firms, they bought the bungalow."

The use of this wood provides structure, breathable and fireproof insulation, and is easy to use. In fact, the architects could enlist inexperienced helpers. The exterior walls are coated with lime plaster, applied with a trowel, giving the enclosure a distinctive character.

The interior of the studio is also noteworthy. It has windows with oak frames and triangular mullions, inspired by a medieval house at the Weald & Downland Museum.

The Natural Building Alliance, a Colorado-based organization that promotes natural building techniques, describes hempcrete as abio-composite building material "created by coating and mixing particles of hemp hurd (also known as shiv – the inner woody core of a hemp plant) with water and lime and then allowing the materials to dry and harden into a natural insulation material. Although builders can use clay as a binder in a hempcrete mix, hempcrete users generally prefer lime, as it can enable the dried mixture to resist wetness, mold and decay. With these features, hempcrete is often referred to as hemp-lime, a name commonly used in Europe, or as ‘bonded cellulose insulation.’"

The result can be used in various parts of a structure: walls, roofs, and floors.

The cover image was generated with the help of an AI.

This article is from an external unpaid contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.