Designing Timber issue 10 for online - Flipbook - Page 38
———— A STEP UP FOR HASTINGS HOUSE ————
timber was the obvious choice.
"We had also already worked with
Hugh on a number of di昀昀erent timber
projects – CLT, LVL and Douglas Fir –
and got to know how he likes to detail
and his style of architecture," Charlotte
explains.
So the extensions were built in Kerto
LVL, supplied by Metsa Wood. They
step up the hill, but are also slightly
stepped in plan too, producing a
pleasingly dislocated sense of space.
In between the extensions and the
staircases that thread up the terraces,
there is a new central space: a clearing
in the middle that the house is now
oriented around.
The LVL structure
INSPIRATION
The LVL (laminated veneer lumber)
comes in 50mm thick panels; the beams
were made from two LVL panels with a
spacer in between them, making each
beam 150mm thick in total.
“Typically, LVL structures are
connected together with metal plates
and lots of nails, which often results in
little shadow gaps," Hugh says. "We
wanted to marry this contemporary
material with an older form of
carpentry, where a post visibly supports
a beam and a deep beam is notched
to support a shallow beam. Where
elements are supported by sitting on
top of each other. It provides a real
sense of visible support, which I enjoy
architecturally.”
"All the connections are simple and
straightforward," Charlotte explains.
"We have a series of large perimeter
beams that act as the structural beams,
but also as the parapets. They’re
performing a few di昀昀erent functions
at once. Wherever possible, we’ve used
double or triple sections that then 昀椀t
neatly with the column details, which
are, again, a series of three members.
Everything stacks and can connect."
"Most of the timber is in-bearing,
which is quite a traditional method
for timber connections. The design
is essentially that the beams are
↑
all notched; the joists slot
over and it is restrained
laterally. It’s simple and
e昀케cient engineering. Hidden
connectors were used
sparingly, only where needed
for buildability."
This drive to minimise plates
and nail 昀椀xings – to sit one
LVL beam on another, then
bolt the joints - allowed the
client to pitch in and help put
it together alongside a local
non-specialist contractor. It
also facilitates reuse: the LVL
structure can be taken apart
because each junction does
not have hundreds of nails in it.
DESIGNING TIMBER
38
NOV/DEC 2025
The rough and ready look of the
(repaired) old retaining walls
and the anchor drills contrasts
sharply with the smart red
grandis glazing surrounds and
galvanized steel cladding.
"By opening up the
spaces it has helped
me break down the
distinctions between
living, working and
dining and gain a space
that it totally unique
but, equally, highly
functional."
Simon Basey,
client
