healing the existing with hemp and lime

Runtime: 9 mintues and 24 seconds
Healing the existing with hemp and lime follows a week-long experiment in regenerative architecture at Maarhuizen 1, an ancient farmhouse shaped by centuries of both care and neglect. Working with hemp, lime, and locally sourced materials, three architects developed four on-site samples that explore how historic buildings can be repaired using low-impact, natural construction methods. Their work demonstrates ways of preserving the character of existing structures while creating a foundation for the future restoration of similar farmhouses throughout the region.

To document the process, I lived on site for a week, sleeping in a tent inside the barn and filming each day as the project unfolded. Construction, material testing, conversations, and daily life became part of the story. Alongside documenting the architects' work, I recorded interviews with local stewards of the farmhouse, capturing the broader community that surrounds and sustains the building.

Each evening I edited the footage gathered that day, creating a rapidly evolving portrait of the project. The first version of the film had a small screening in the barn at the end of the week during Open Monumentendag, telling the story in the same place it was made. The film was later refined and submitted to the Architectural Film Festival Rotterdam (AFFR).



Credits
Producer:Anna Zań
Producer:Eline Hoftiezer
Producer: Sjoerd Willem Bosch
Cinematographer: Liam McClain
Editor: Liam McClain
Colourist: Liam McClain