Other educational tools within the framework on the project

Hunting for Heritage (CRAterre)

 

The activity was first implemented in 2013 by municipalities aiming to raise awareness among their residents about vernacular heritage. This was in response to general sentiments of varied appreciation within the population, a desire to establish new relationships, promote affection for the inhabited place, and disseminate conservation ideas. All of this through a very simple implementation that involves all residents with a friendly and cheerful perspective.

Implemented in 2021, the objectives include understanding heritage values of the place where the participants live, developing a different view of heritage through the 15 VERSUS principles, and discussing conservation and rehabilitation options with villagers to assist them in deciding what is appropriate or not.

 

Sensations labyrinth (CRAterre)

 

The activity, initiated in 2021 during the Grains d’Isère festival, aimed to practically demonstrate the construction of different traditional techniques, serving as a platform for building relationships among professionals and promoting teamwork. The central objectives were to immerse participants in diverse building methods, providing insights into their construction processes, encompassing tools, mixture compositions, procedural steps, and duration. Concurrently, the activity sought to evaluate and compare the thermal responses of these techniques.

Beyond the practical aspects, the initiative aimed to convey an understanding of how enhanced traditional techniques could be perceived as both cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. It prompted reflection on strategies to minimize the energy footprint associated with construction, particularly in an environment profoundly impacted by global warming.

One distinctive feature of the workshop was the creation of a route, akin to a labyrinth, showcasing the different techniques. This arrangement, ranging from the heaviest to the lightest methods, allowed visitors to tangibly experience and discern the variations between each technique once implemented.

 

Conservation work camp (CRAterre)

 

The workshop, implemented every two years since 2009, consists of a conservation exercise for earth structures in an old barn. It is aimed at postgraduate students of CRAterre as well as craftsmen, neighbors, or property owners, in groups of up to 25 people. The exercise allows participants to gain greater confidence in earth architecture intervention techniques, with the freedom to make mistakes in a collaborative and teamwork environment, applying theoretical ideas in practical ways.

Topics covered include a comprehensive diagnosis of a constructed building, its values in the cultural landscape, proposal development, and implementation.