Welcome to Our Blog - Natural Structures

Mar 21

by jhaadmin in News 0 comments

Burghley House

Oak Framed Extension House The oak framed extensions are now completed in the beautiful village of Pillsgate which is surrounded by the estate grounds of Burghley House. The extensions comprised of one large oak framed room and five stone built rooms. These were linked to the main existing house to create a centre hub for the family to work around. The main room held three functions, the kitchen, a formal seating area and a day room that all benefited from the light open space created with the oak waisted king post truss vaulted ceiling and queen posted glazed truss. The oak frame was traditionally designed incorporating purlin sweeps and knee braces to give a very traditional feel. All the oak components were air dried for a minimum of five years to create the most stable frame to house the glazing and stone panels. Our decorator chose Farrow and Ball colours to complement the overall traditional feel and with the bespoke hand made framed kitchen and the one off Italian flagstone flooring, the end result shows off the high quality materials and craftsmanship.

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Oct 03

by jhaadmin in Case Studies 0 comments

Contemporary Architecture

Modern & Contemporary Oak Timber Architecture Contemporary architecture is formally defined as the building style of the present day. Today’s styles, however, are quite varied and have a number of different influences. It is generally recognized that contemporary architecture is an evolution of modern architecture. While these two terms are sometimes used synonymously, this usage is not correct. Modern architecture refers to the building style of the early to mid-20th century. It features clean lines and an emphasis on function. Those elements that characterised modern architecture, however were also sometimes thought to be cold and impersonal. This belief lead to the creation of the contemporary style as is recognized today. Like the modern style, contemporary architecture connects indoor and outdoor spaces, but it adds some personal touches and warmth throughout the living space. The use of natural light also plays a big part in defining this style. For this reason, large and expansive windows are a common and easily recognized feature of contemporary homes.  Green building is also becoming a strong component of the contemporary style. Architects today are placing more emphasis on energy efficiency; they also are using sustainable, natural, and recycled materials, thus creating eco-friendly houses. Contemporary homes are […]

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Aug 28

by jhaadmin in Case Studies 0 comments tags: Oak cruck, oak frame

Cruck trussed home, Horninghold

We have completed a full oak cruck bladed truss frame in the ancient village of Horninghold. The project has taken several months as the detail involved in every aspect of the build was of the highest specification. The oak cruck bladed trusses support the hand made ridge and purlins, with the vertical oak frame posts and floor beams completing the structural frame. Any keen viewer of Grand Designs will have heard of oak frame construction. Traditional brick and block houses have two ‘leaves’, generally speaking the outer leaf is brick, the inner leaf is block and the cavity in between the two is filled with insulation. Timber frame does away with the block inner skin and replaces it with a structural Oak frame. The outer leaf is non-structural and can be brick, timber or stone; using special systems you can even render the outside and avoid the need to lay a single brick, you can also use a combination of these materials to suit the local surroundings and your council’s planning requirements. Oak frame construction has 30%-40% shorter, more predictable construction time than brick and block. This means a faster return on investment, reduced disruption and a tidier, safer and more efficient site. A typical […]

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Aug 03

by jhaadmin in News 0 comments

Hambleton Oak frame House

We recently completed this beautiful period oak frame house in the prestigious Rutland village of Hambleton, Rutland. Hambleton village is situated on the peninsula that protrudes into Rutland water , this peninsula is what splits the reservoir into two arms. The complete oak framed house was built on an existing footprint with superb views over the reservoir, by demolishing the original structure but saving the foundations and obviously the position, we are able to create this beautiful period home.

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Jun 09

by jhaadmin in Case Studies 0 comments tags: oak frame, oak frame addition

Langton Grand Design

We have just completed substantial oak framed alterations and additions to a home in the Langton village near Market Harborough. We have worked on several phases at the premises for over the last 4 years with this last project being the final touch to a phased master plan. It is often the case that when clients ask us to re-design their existing homes, the completed “grand design” includes so much more than originally anticipated. This is obviously reflected in the budget figures and then often phased over time which enables the clients to reach their home’s maximum potential. Design in this way helps reduce the “hindsight” risk that is often the case when building and altering a home. The new space that we have created here takes advantage of the orientation of the plot with the majority of the glazed oak elevations being southerly facing. All of the oak frame is thoroughly air dried, minimising the risk of movement, with the external direct glaze boarding being kiln dried prime grade quarter sawn oak. This quarter sawn oak that we use in conjunction with our direct glaze system is extensively used in making furniture due to its stability and clean graining, […]

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Jun 08

by jhaadmin in Case Studies 0 comments

Sulby Oak Extension Phase 2

We have now completed phase 2 of our contracted oak framed project in the ancient village of Sulby, Leicestershire. After completing phase 1 last year (please see Sulby extension case study) the clients were keen to complete the project with the phase 2 build. This consisted of a simple oak framed extension to their already large front room which, when complete, gave them full views of the beautiful estate gardens. Not only have they benefitted from the use of the new space internally, externally the existing house now looks more balanced with a larger footprint. With the simple elements of oak & glass ,we have created a a light functional space that helps tie the dynamic use of the floor space together with phase 1. The external existing deck was enhanced with simple oak newels and a glass handrail/ balustrade giving a contained seating area that is easily accessed through the main pedestrian hand made oak door or the oak bi-folds dependent on weather conditions. With phase 1 & 2 complete, we are now talking about the possibility of enhancing or rebuilding the adjacent garages which would really complete the entire package.

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