Lime plaster works by letting moisture move through it. A wall finished in lime breathes – water vapour passes in and out, meaning damp doesn’t get stuck causing mould. The paint that goes on top has to do the same job, or it will undo the benefits of breathable wall finishes.
A reference guide to one of the oldest building materials, and its misunderstood revival.
At a former medieval mill in Ennenda, Switzerland, Atelier Lando Rossmaier begins with careful deconstruction, peeling back layers to reveal and renew the building’s original structure. The adaptive reuse project rebuilds the house using materials sourced within roughly ten miles, including local timber, lime and hemp-lime walls that help regulate moisture in the ageing masonry. Through this restrained approach, the once-abandoned mill is revived as a home and goldsmith’s workshop while preserving the character of its historic fabric.
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