Posts and Beams Revised
Non-structural beams help a new kitchen match the aesthetic of this post-and-beam home.
ThisremodelandadditionbyWhittenArchitectswas a不光滑的rofstructural andaestheticcohesion.Once agaragewithanunfinishedartstudio,theheavy- timberbarnwastobeoutfittedwithafirst-floormastersuite, anewcode- compliantstair, aguestroom,and ahomeoffice.Hemlockpost-and-beamconstructionwasvisiblethroughoutthe existingbuilding.Thechallengewastoincorporate asimilaraestheticinthenewopen-conceptkitchen,living,anddiningspace.Thefauxbeamsintheadditionneededtohavethesamelookofthemortise-and-tenonjoineryinthetraditionaltimberframes,andthoughnotstructural,theydidneedtobeself-supporting.Theyalsohadtobe preassembledinaninteriorspacethatwasjustslightlylargerthantheassembly itself.Theteamhadtoraisethefaux frame—withlittleroomtospare—using jacksandstaggeringpoststoholdthe assemblylevel.
Tokeeptheadditioneconomical,theshellwasraisedquicklywith aconventionalcast-in-placefoundation, stick-framewallassemblies,and aroof–trusssystem.Thiskepttheenvelopesimple,withmechanical,fire-suppression, andelectricalsystemswithinthewallandceilingassemblies.Intheremodeled heavy-timberstructure,everything neededtobewithin aSIP-panelenvelope.Toaccomplishthis,baseboards weredetailedtohousechases,ceiling panelsweredroppedbetweenrouted beams,andsprinklerlinesweresnakedupthetimberbeams.
DesignerWhitten Architects, whittenarchitects.com
BuilderSteve Brann Building, stevebrannbuilding.com
LocationFreeport, Maine
PhotosJonathan Reece
From Fine Homebuilding #287