Louisiana’s Bousillage Tradition: Investigation of Past Techniques for Future Practice FITCH MID-CAREER GRANT FINAL REPORT By: Laura Ewen Blokker Principal, Southeast Preservation
[email protected] Heather A. Knight Adjunct Assistant Professor, Tulane School of Architecture
[email protected] Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Survey Work ................................................................................................................................... 2 Materials Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 9 Interviews ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Conclusions and Future Directions ............................................................................................... 23 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 25 On the cover: Clockwise from left, tacheron trampling Spanish moss into clay for bousillage at Green House by H. Knight; detail of bousillage in Estopinal House by L. Blokker; photomicrograph of Dumesnil House bousillage showing traces of decayed Spanish moss bark by J. Walsh. Introduction This report describes the work of the 2009 Fitch Mid-Career Grant funded project, “Louisiana‟s