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INDEX |
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ARTICLE |
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TOURS |
Northside Restaurant
Chicago, Illinois
The following services are available to be packaged to suit your specific project.
PLANNING
Work with clients to establish the
potential of a given location or situation.
FEASIBILITY STUDY
Verify that a specific situation
will satisfy a client's goals.
PRESENTATION DRAWINGS
Illustrate
the project for the benefit of others.
DESIGN DRAWINGS
Organize architectural
elements on paper in order to meet clients needs.
PERMIT DRAWINGS
Package drawings so that governing
bodies will know that construction plans will meet required codes.
PERMIT ACQUISITION
Shepherd drawings through the building
department.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
Delineate the project with drawings
and specifications so that the competitive bids can be made and
contracts let.
TIMBER SHOP DRAWINGS
Produce specific drawings to manufacture
timbers.
BIDDING
Assist the client in selecting contractors.
CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION
Periodically
observe the progress of the work for compliance with the requirements
of the contract documents.
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Control the costs and the scheduling
of construction for the benefit of the client.
With a presence in Michigan and the Chicago area, we are well positioned to extend our professional services throughout the Midwest. We have also worked with clients as far away as South Carolina and the Bahamas. Committed to helping clients achieve their goals through good planning and design, White Oak Timber Frames and Sam Marts Architects & Planners Ltd. looks forward to working with you on your project.
Thoughtful planning and design eliminates wasted energies and insures that a structure becomes the building it was intended to be. While the primary use of a building is to provide shelter, the art of architecture is to make the time spent in the space of the structure a positive experience. The enduring strength and beauty of a timber frame imparts a positive sense of enclosure through its light open spaces, exposed materials, and efficient methods of construction.
THE
FRAME
Quercus alba is the Latin
name for white oak. It is the strongest, heaviest, most stable
and most rot resistant of all the oaks and has been the choice
of European timber framers for centuries. Here in the Midwest
we are fortunate to have white oak available at reasonable prices.
Elsewhere, we have utilized other types of wood such as chestnut,
cedar, and pine where they are more readily available. We have
also used mixed wood types in buildings, especially where the
timber is either harvested from the client's land or salvaged
from old buildings.
Timber frames have developed into unique styles in different countries under varying conditions. We use typical wooden joinery in all of our frames, but the style of the frame and the design of the space varies with the desires of the owner. We feel that each timber frame should be customized to fit the needs of the people who will live and work within it.
STRESS
SKIN PANELS
The
renewed interest in timber framing
in North America has a great deal to do with the availability
of manufactured wall sections - stress skin panels. There are
many types of panels that use various materials and provide different
insulating R values. The panels are applied to the outside of
the timber frame, wrapping the house in insulation as opposed
to fitting the insulation between the structural members as in
stud construction. R values are typically higher than even 2x6
stud construction and air infiltration is greatly reduced with
carefully sealed panel joints. The level to which these homes
can be made airtight is such that air changes for proper ventilation
becomes a design issue. As designers and builders we have investigated
the different materials and the companies that offer these products.
We work with several manufacturers to provide the best suited
panel for the job.
DESIGN
It is an old adage that you are half done building when the design is
finished. We believe that this is true in time and effort among
owner, architect and builder. It is very important to begin the
design process as early as possible. A year ahead of construction
is desirable.
1. A total budget for the project must be established. The budget will define the size limits of the structure based on current square foot costs.
2. The owner makes two lists - one titled "essential" and one titled "optional". Sketches, photos from magazines, samples of desired materials and finishes, room types and sizes, views, solar orientation, utility availability and all related information should be gathered in writing to direct the design team.
3. With the direction of the owner, the architects create preliminary floor plans, sections and elevations. When appropriate, alternative room configurations and exterior images are developed.
4. The owners evaluate the preliminary ideas and meet with the architects to clarify what works and what is desirable. The drawings are fine tuned and the timber frame is delineated until the design is right. Costs are estimated.
5. Final construction drawings are done to the level required by the owner and the local building department.
| BUILDERS | White Oak Timber Frames P.O. Box 115 Suttons Bay, MI 49682 231.256.9351 info@timbersmart.com |
ARCHITECTS |
Sam Marts Architects & Planners Ltd.
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For information on Sam Marts Architects & Planners LTD's urban design and planning projects, click here: www.architectsmart.com |
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We encourage you to call us. We are interested in finding out about you!