The legacy of cork
Cork is a material with a magical combination of insulation and beauty. What is it and how can it be used?
Cork has been used in construction for millennia and still offers an ecological solution to both new construction and retrofit. Harvesting cork requires skilled labour to extract the foamy layer without harming the tree underneath. The slow-growing evergreen oak can live for over 200 years, and is native to the western Mediterranean basin. Cork consists of the outer bark of the cork oak tree, which can be harvested every 10 years.
Marcel Proust used cork to line the bedroom of his Parisian house in the early 20th century in the final years of his life. The cork prevented pollen and dust from aggravating his allergies and gave him the quiet he needed to write his final book.
Cork was regularly used as insulation before synthetics were developed. President Truman retrofitted The White House’s centre hall with cork insulation, and installed a polished cork herringbone floor in the Oval Office.
Breathable House
The ground-floor extension is faced with solid blocks of external cork insulation, as well as a thinner external layer, which then sit on a terrazzo plinth. The natural materials allow the previously damp house to breath through the cork construction