Timber Framing in Chile

At a modest 5'9", I feel a little undeserving of the nickname "Big Jack." However, as many of you know, when Molly Barnes gives you a nickname, it tends to stick.  I joined the Sila crew about two weeks ago, and now,  after following this blog for over a year, I finally get to post something myself!

In order to adequately express my appreciation for this incredible setting we now find ourselves, I need to back up a bit.  I began a new job last April building timber frame houses in central Oregon. Timber frame construction is an old-world building technique in which joints, such as the mortise and tenon, are used to fasten together the wooden members of a frame (as opposed to metal fasteners such as bolts, nails, and expensive "Simpson" products).  Additionally, this form of construction utilizes large timbers spread over spans greater than two feet, as opposed to the modern technique of framing which uses 2x lumber spaced less than two feet apart.   Although this style of building is visually dramatic and exceptionally strong, it has become obsolete in developed countries by the aforementioned modern techniques which are far less time and resource intensive.  Because timber framing is prohibitively expensive to all but the wealthiest home-builders, most of the work that I have done in Oregon has been confined to high-end luxury houses.  Although it is comforting to know that old-world craftsmanship is being kept alive by my boss Kris Calvin and his company Earthwood Homes, it is unfortunate that the average person in the US will never get to experience the dramatic effect of seeing and occupying a timber frame structure.

This, however, is not the case in Chiloé.  On this pastoral island, where native hardwoods abound and Home-Depot has yet to invade, timber framing is not so obsolete.  Imagine my surprise and excitement (now that you have a sense for how much of a woodworking geek I am) when I entered the beautiful church in the remote town of Rilán and discovered an intricate lattice of hardwood timbers locked together by means of traditional joinery.

It was great to see timber framing used as an efficient form of construction on a public building: how much cooler is that than when it is just used as a detail on a private mansion?

 

Furthermore, craftsmanship and intentionality in architectural-design are not limited to large public spaces in Chiloé.  We have also observed many beautifully designed and well-crafted small homes.  Locals claim that the "palafitos" (houses built on stilts over the tidal zone), in addition to being quite attractive and a unique staple of the regional architecture, are more structurally sound than neighboring houses built on concrete footings.

Having been raised in suburbia where "design" seems to be driven by the desire to demonstrate one's wealth, and architecture in commercial space is driven by pure functionality (resulting in gigantic, prison-like boxes), it is incredibly refreshing to experience a community which values craftsmanship and thoughtful design as worthy ends in themselves.  I strongly believe that design affects one's mood and experience of a place.  It makes sense, then, that I have so enjoyed the island of Chiloé.- Jack Fields