Hi,

Can anyone bring to my attention a new book on timber framing or associated topic that is worth a good read over the Christmas Hols ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Hey Ken –

Winter reads huh ? Never understood how folks are always looking for a “summer read” I always have less time then and think of winter as the reading season. Went through a couple this past week, though that had to do with an ice storm and five days without power. Got through the first two volumes of Cornwell’s Saxon series, now I have to hit the bookstore to keep it rolling. I read a fair amount of historical fiction and it tends to be Anglo or Celto centric, used to read a lot of Nigel Trantor’s stuff.

It’s not all that new but I’ll recommend this –

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-History...1723&sr=1-1

Written by fellow Guild member, and New Hampshire state architectural historian Jim Garvin.

I’d be curious to hear your take on it, as to if you see any regional influences from your side of the pond in the building traditions here in NNE.

Recently read “1599 A Year in the Life of Wm Shakespeare “ always had an interest but it kicked in big time when I was working with Paul on the ill fated attempt to replicate the Globe here in The States. It opens on Dec 28th 1589 with the “theft” of The Theatre which is an amazing story all by itself, The Chamberlains Men surreptitiously dismantling the timber frame which would become the Globe while the landlord was away for the holidays – Anyway in the bibliography, I found a book I’d like to read – I’d buy this copy but a couple of the pages are upside-down

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail...rt=p&page=1

Kidding aside, do you know if it has been republished by a reprint publisher like Donhead ? It apparently has been scanned by Google but for some reason no preview is available.

Hi Will,

I had no idea that that the concept of a book reading season even existed !

I have ordered up the Garvin book on Amazon and now expectantly await the thud on the doormat.

From the various emails that I receive from North America there currently seems to be quite an interest in making a building technology link between the olde and new worlds and undoubtedly at least in part this must exist. From my own experience I recall that I surveyed and recorded a 2 bay cottage here in Olde Hampshire (1414) which was to be rebuilt in Massachussetts and initialy found myself a bit flummoxed that the design was altered to reflect local building regulation requirements together with incorporation of occupant preferences such that one could no longer call this an exact replica but more a facsimile of the original.

I am sure that the process of change and development was almost instantateous from the moment that European feet set foot on North American soil but it would be great to see the outcome of a more formal collaborative academic study on this topic.

I shall report my findings on Jim's book after my seasonal holiday perusals.

Regards

Ken Hume

Hi Will et al,

I purchased a copy of Jim Garvin's book and this kept me occupied until Christmas day when I received 2 additional books both of which are new and hence worthy of further appraisal here.

The first book is by Olga Popovic Larsen who is both Engineer and Architect - a rare combination and one that I much admire. She is a researcher and lecturer in the School of Architecture at Sheffield University, England. She has produced an excellent book on Reciprocal Frame Architecture, published by Architectural Press (www.architecturalpress.com) [ISBN 978-0-7506-8263-3]. This book is almost 100% about self supporting interlocking timber framed roofs, floors, stairwells, bridges and structures providing both a historical and present day slant on the use of this type of structure. Those carpenters who are interested in 3D modelling especially those currently experimenting with the use of programmes such as Sketchup will find this book inspiring since many of the illustrated designs would be very difficult to conceive and visualise by solely employing 2D techniques. The book gives a brief introduction to self supporting structures as historically designed or illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci, Villard De Honnecourt, Serlio, Tredgold and Hewett (after Alexander). A multitude of new names appear on the timber frame scene, as if plucked from a parallel universe, including many of whom who are Scottish, Welsh, English but more especially Japanese a nation which appears to have adopted and developed this building techinique into art form, much aided by their precise approach to the making of complex joints. Unusually, there is a significant emphasis on engineering content within this book with contributions and support by structural engineer Jens Larsen of Ove Arup (Structural Engineers). This book is essential reading for the serious timber frame aficionado and benefits from being presented in the disciplined manner that one would expect from the world of academia but it is by no means dusty or dry - just the opposite. Olga has given the cage a well deserved rattle.

The second book was purchased in Florence, Italy by my son James who recently made a trip to The Santa Maria del Fiori to study Brunelleschi's Dome, which alongside St Paul's cathedral and the Patheon must rank as one of the architectural wonders of the world. This book was written by Giovani Fanelli (Professor of History of Architecture, University of Florence) and Michele Fanelli (Engineer ) and it explores in some depth the historical construction, including techniques and aids employed, and also provides an in depth engineering analysis produced to assist with the conservation of this medieval (1420 - 36) marvel. The book documents the processes involved in the design, model making and construction of a major medieval building project and goes some way to anwering the searching question posed by Colin Beggs on "Architect v. The Master Builder" that recently appeared on the Carpenters Fellowship website - a question that sadly still remains unanswered. Colin and others should purchase "Brunelleschi's Cupola - Past and Present of an architectural masterpiece" published by Mandragora (ISBN 88-85957-91-9) [English translated version]. It is essential that the lessons that can be learned from the works of yesteryear's Master Builders, as evidenced in the long term performance of their buildings, are well understood by today's architetects, building designers, engineers and craftsmen.

Seasons Greetings

Ken & James Hume

Hi Derek,

Thank you for lending your support to Colin.

I know that he has received a number of direct email replies to his question but for some reason regular contributors appear to be somewhat inhibited about answering this thread on line.

It's a big question.

Ken Hume

Derek, I think you would like "A Pattern Language" by Christopher Alexander

The Japanese have an expression with a similar meaning to 'pearls before swine', that I quite like: "neko ni koban" It means, "in front of the cat, a gold coin"

You're not alone in your views Derek, and not all of us are swine. In fact such views, reactive as they are in nature to the current cultural milieu, have reappeared time and time again in history. The Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century was one such reaction. You would surely resonate well with Ruskin, and Alexander's Pattern Language - why haven't you got that on your shelf man? C'mon, get with the program

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." - KJV, Matthew 7:6. Be careful there when casting pearls, todays Derek could be tomorrows hog manure.

Some music to cast pearls by

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uboe9RCLmmY

Hi All,

I got a note from Olga Popovic Larsen yesterday in which she explained that since August 2008 she has been at Copenhagen University in Denmark where she has taken up a chair in Structures in Architecture, and her husband Jens Larsen has been able to transfer to work for Arup (Denmark).

I am sure that we wish them both well in their new venture and hopefully we might also now be able to follow and be appraised of architectural and engineering timber framing developments in Denmark.

I noted the comments made above by Mo et al about "The Pattern Language" by Alexander, Ishikawa and Silverstein and so I checked out the web link to the Pattern Language website where I found that the tea room at West Dean College in Sussex (next door to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum) was made by Alexander. This is one of my favorite stop off points on the way home from the south coast where my wife and me usually time our arrival for 4.00pm - "when everything stops for tea".

Regards

Ken Hume

The cover art is from "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Bosch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights