Fine weather for finishing

We've now finished cladding and detailing this woodland workspace, enjoying fine spring weather during a few days out of the workshop. The frame, a mixture of Larch and Douglas Fir, with Stainless Steel wire bracing was raised in the winter, and was designed to create a sheltered storage and work space with a light footprint.


Having raised the frame and assembled it using cleft oak pegs through the mortice and tenon joinery, the customer was keen to avoid mercilessly banging in hundreds of nails to fix the Western Red Cedar cladding boards. So we designed cladding panels that could be assembled in the workshop, and then fixed to the frame using only 8 Stainless Steel fixings per panel.


 We fitted discreet sliding doors to the sheltered front face that really open the building up and help to create the light, airy, indoor/outdoor space specified in the design brief. Despite the lack of windows, there's plenty of internal light due to the translucent roof panels, and the spacings between the cladding boards allow more diffuse light and ventilation. A really enjoyable project, and a nice change to our more conventional green oak framing designs.         

 There's talk of another project here, something using hand hewn round wood logs...similar to this design by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Discussions, sketches and research under way....very excited about the prospect of this.