SHPA Series: Space for Place

Who? What?

"The Timber Framers Guild is dedicated to promoting the centuries-old craft of timber framing. The reason for its increasing popularity is clear: Timber framing is a building style that unites sound construction techniques with handsome materials to produce a natural, yet beautiful, result. Timber frames offer a feeling of strength, durability, and spaciousness." (tfguild.com)

Why?

Well, it is clear from the above quotation that timber frame construction is a historic and modern artistic fascination, because of not only the aesthetic qualities of wood, but also, the physical characteristics of the material itself.

As noted, the strength, durability, and spaciousness of the material has been the key incentive for its construction purpose, but wood, by nature, is prone to decay. Proper maintenance and construction methods have been lost since the market turned to heavily industrialized methods that meant cheap quick builds with cheap unskilled labor... this combination created the detriorated housing stock that we see today! Not to mention the construction mentality of bulldoze now, and ask ethical questions later.

Now interested, primarily self taught, tradespeople have developed organizations, such as the Timber Framers Guild, to promote lasting construction methods and style. In hope for revitalization of centuries old crafts, and the development of interest in sustaining buildings for future generations rather than simply leveling old housing stock in favor of new construction.

Voila, what do you get when you combine dedicated people with a social art form... timber frame construction.

Visit the Guild's website for a calendar of events and further information: www.tfguild.org

Their website has great online sources: glossaries, workbooks, projects, etc.

Not to mention, inspirational forums, and much more.