History of the natural cement industry in Marseille region, France

Abstract eng:
In the nineteenth century, Marseille was already an established industrial town and had a significant urban development. Its business provided it with a large amount of raw materials of all kinds and its port allowed the carriage to multiple destinations. At that time, the traditional render with lime and yellow ochre sand predominated; however, a new type of facade finishing appeared, "the cement-render". Mainly composed of natural cement and sand, these other renders were used on stone facades. The production of cement originated shortly before 1840, when Hippolyte de Villeneuve Flayosc and Tocchi founded the first factory. Sealed plates placed on walls in cement-render have allowed the identification of more than twenty patents of facade builders, cement manufacturers or craftsmen. These new companies offered a raw product but also a skilled workforce. Therefore, one company owned at the same time the production factories and the implementation companies. The models were chosen from a catalogue and executed by their skilled workmen. Numerous houses or buildings of Marseilles were covered with this type of coating. By their specificity, their colour and texture, these facades are a real cultural and architectural heritage of the city of Marseille and deserve an adapted conservation methodology.

• Export as: BibTeX | MARC | MARCXML | DC | EndNote | NLM | RefWorks
• Add to your basket