Modern Mountain Timberframe
Modern Mountain Timberframe
A Place for Special Gatherings
Our clients are lovers of the ‘modern mountain’ style. Their gorgeous home we worked on a couple of years ago is a perfect example of how our timberframing skills, the architect’s creativity and the client vision came together. I’m delighted to be able to share photos of this stunning modern timberframe home now that the contractor’s work is complete.
What is ‘Modern Mountain Timberframe?
Definition of ‘modern mountain’
Combining traditional timberframe construction with contemporary design elements and natural materials, a modern mountain style celebrates a mountain setting. Homes in this style lean towards clean lines, modern roofs, glass, wood and stone. They typically feature large open floor plans, exposed wooden beams and fabulous views.
How this modern mountain timberframe came to life
Our clients owned a condo at our local ski resort and wanted a larger home, a place allowing for special family gatherings. They loved some of the homes around the resort and the one common element in them all was the Architect, Cheryl Link.
I like to think of Cheryl as the inventor of the modern mountain timberframe look in the West of Canada. I’ve been fortunate to bring many of Cheryl’s modern mountain designs to life. I spent a day with the client driving around visiting many homes they admired to really understand what they loved, hated and desired in a modern mountain timberframe. Often clients get what the builder or architect or designer wants - but it’s essential to me that we give the client what they want. It’s also crucial they have full trust in our expertise and ability to deliver, offering solutions when required, yet consistent with their vision.
Elements of this Modern Mountain Timberframe home
The Architectural Design
The family love to downhill and cross country ski. The lot they bought sits on the border of the ski resort meaning no overlooking other houses, ski-in/ski-out access, next to the cross country ski trails and expansive views. It was a tricky lot shape though: triangular with a steep bank.
Cheryl’s creative timberframe design expertly fit the home on the lot. The basement has 14ft high ceilings to ensure the garage on the main floor was level with road access above. The main floor is heavily glazed and there is open loft space above.
The home had to be engineered for heavy snow loads, which can be a challenge in modern mountain designs where roofs tend to be flat, straight lines.
Wood and Steel
The home is a full douglas fir timberframe with douglas fir T&G ceiling paneling.
The trusses are combination timber and steel with complicated compound angles requiring precise wood and steel joinery. There is an impressive 34ft free span truss and traditional, yet modern, build-up beams. Because of the heavy snow loads the build-up beams were engineered for load transfer using oak wedges.
The modern timberframe and black metal contrasts in the stairs and ceilings work are spectacular in the open plan concept of the home.
We have expertise in working with integrated wood and metal elements which you can read about here.
Creative elements
The oak wedges used for snow load transfer on the build up beams were pieces reclaimed / upcycled using offcuts from repairs we did to the Golden Pedestrian Bridge.
The living room on the main floor is a big dramatic space that needed to be unique. Rather than straight wooden rafters and beams the architect designed what we now lovingly call the ‘snowflake’. It’s a metal truss which is lighter than heavy beams but structurally much stronger. It raised a few eyebrows during installation but the client is delighted.
Huge windows throughout are one way in which modern mountain brings the outside in. Another is through the modern timberframe elements we included such as the exterior covered T&G walkway from the drive to the front entry, opening into the same T&G interior ceiling.
With so much wood on display in the open plan main floor it could have looked heavy and overpowering, but we hope you agree the metal contrast with the timberframe and T&G are pure modern mountain at its best.
Timberframe Raising
I hope you enjoy the video of the timberframe raising for this modern mountain beauty. The installation of this complex design took place during one of the snowiest winters at our local ski hill. However it’s a real testament to the craftsmanship and skills of the crew that the raising was as perfect as I could have hoped.
Contact
If you have any questions about a modern mountain timberframe, integrating wood and metal or general timberframing questions I’d love to hear from you.
Author: Sigi Liebmann