lemoal lemoal completes the first sports hall built with hempcrete blocks in france

lemoal lemoal architectes and landscaping office delivered the pierre chevet sports hall for the town of croissy-beaubourg, france. it is the first new public building constructed with hempcrete blocks and serves as a hall for physical exercise and changing rooms. the architects along with manufacturers and construction companies collaborated to experiment with an innovative and sustainable implementation.

all images by elodie dupuis

lemoal lemoal architectes’ structural principle was led by the determination to employ long-lasting materials with multiple performances. the wooden half-vaulted entrances lean against a wall of hempcrete blocks for support freeing a maximum of space for practicing sports. these hempcrete blocks have been chosen for their many comfort- and safety-enhancing – qualities, among which their high thermal, acoustical, and structural performances, and their resistance to fire (rei 30).

the hempcrete blocks selected for this project are manufactured with hemp hurds, an agricultural material obtained from hemp, is made by the cement manufacturer vicat and until now has been without a market. the fibers are from plants cultivated in france and then assembled at less than 500 km from the project site. hempcrete is durable, innovative, and has a high-performance. its use in building blocks boosts the commercial value of short supply chains, mobilizing actors in france, from the farmer to the worker.

hemp is generally treated with a finishing coat of plaster on the exterior and is mostly employed in detached houses. in this project, to facilitate its maintenance, the architects covered the façades in cladding whose panels can be individually replaced. lower sections of interior surfaces have been treated with hemp plaster. on the upper parts, the hempcrete blocks have been left exposed, thereby maintaining their acoustical qualities.

project info:

name: pierre chevet sports hall

architects: lemoal lemoal architectes

location: croissy beaubourg, france

client: city of croissy-beaubourg

project management: lemoal lemoal architecture paysage (architect), axoé (all trade works), apave (building control office), arc 77 (h&s coordinator), cabinet bec (outdoor facilities)

area: 380 sqm (4,090.29 sqft)

photography: elodie dupuis