Timber framing is our heart, it’s the craft we’ve been honing and honoring for more than 30 years from our shops in New York and Oregon. We can attribute our body of work to skilled craftsmen and coworkers—folks we don’t talk about often enough, but we always admire. We admire their ability to refine raw materials into beloved structures. For their hands, nimble but roughened by years of constructing. For their refusal to compromise on quality or details. And for the final product, which leaves a legacy of those faces and hands and minds of our makers who give all to their art. We celebrate these coworkers who work behind the scenes, who help uphold and refine the tradition of timber framing.
Behind the beams, the timber frame, the raising, the designing, the engineering, and the dreaming, run the uniting cords of passion, dedication, and a love of shelter.
“I love the craft and longevity of a timber-framed structure. Thoughtful joinery carefully executed to provide shelter and beauty for many generations. Plus, it's just plain fun to do, from cutting and finishing in the shop to standing atop the ridge of a naked frame, I couldn't ask for a better career.” – Darren, timber frame champion
“Each project is different. That means each day things are a little different. We get to work with our hands and our minds. Plus, we get time in the shop and out on site. It’s a good balance.” – Jake, timber frame champion
“Handcrafting in the shop is second only to raising the frame. We’re crafting something unusual, something not many other people do. It’s hard to beat that.” –Pete, timer frame craftsman
There is nothing quite like witnessing the process of creating complex wood-to-wood joinery. Beginning in planning, developing in engineering, being rendered in wood, and interwoven on raising day to fulfill a need for sanctuary that withstands the trials of life, the tests of time and weather–we immerse ourselves in this traditional building method.
“It’s easy to be passionate about timber frame engineering and the related building sciences. It is one of the only materials that add story and character to a home through its tremendous versatility and craftsmanship. And no other benchmark in a home build is as exciting as raising day; after 10 years and hundreds of projects, I’m still giddy to get on site on crane day!” –Sean, timber frame engineering
“Timber frame engineering and design is like solving a complex puzzle. There are so many different stake holders that must be satisfied. When all the project pieces are put together seamlessly, and a project comes to life, it is extremely gratifying.” – Owen, timber frame engineering
“The opportunity to expose structure as part of the story of the design spatially, and that the structure is of a natural material, wood, and all that it implies about responsible material usage, craft, and the human experience – this is what excites me about timber frame design.” – Ty, AIA, design/build manager
To the craftspeople and workers who apply their skills, abilities, minds, and muscle, we recognize you and we thank you.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to be in any other trade.” –Andy, timber frame craftsman
About New Energy Works:
We operate on the Triple Bottom Line, the simple belief that people, planet, and profit work together to ensure a better future. We are employee owned. When we think of celebrating timber framing, we think to celebrate our people. We truly care about our craftsmen, and they truly care about your project.
The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing
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