Plenary lectures “Pisé”: Evolution, innovations, resistances and future directions

Rammed earth construction, known as pisé, originated with the Phoenicians in Carthage (814 B.C.) and spread globally through Mediterranean and North African influences. This technique, combining local materials like stone and earth within a masonry framework, remained dominant until Carthage's Roman destruction. Its legacy persisted in ancient texts by Varro, Columella, and Palladius, later refined in European treatises (e.g., Cointeraux’s Cahiers d’école d’architecture rurale, 1790–91). However, the Industrial Revolution led to its decline, particularly in France, where labor shortages during WWI accelerated its obsolescence. A revival in the 1970s, driven by energy crises, spurred innovations like prefabricated pisé blocks and climbing formworks (Meunier, 1987; Rauch, 2001), aiming to reduce costs. Today, pisé faces economic challenges but gains traction for its thermal properties and sustainability. Hybridization with modern materials and poured earthen concrete is reshaping its future, potentially replacing traditional methods while preserving its ecological benefits.

(Ed.). (2012). Plenary lectures “Pisé”: Evolution, innovations, resistances and future directions. Rammed Earth Conservation, 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15164-5