What's New

This is a recap of major events in the company's year for 2020.

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The Catskill Project is in collaboration with Buck Moorhead Architects. Building lots are available on the 90-acre carbon neutral community in Livingston Manor, NY.

The Catskill Project redefines what it means to live and build in harmony with nature. We’ve married the principles of Passive House design with the efficiency & quality control of off-site panelized wall systems, carbon tracking, renewable energy, and master craftsmanship—all to deliver you peak-performance homes of unprecedented beauty in record time.
https://www.thecatskillproject.com/
https://bensonwood.com/tektoniks/

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Join the Timber Framers Engineering Council for a behind-the scenes tour and discussion about the historic restoration of the Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms with Doug Porter, Jan Lewandowski, and Chris Carbone.
With the comprehensive restoration now complete, this tour and discussion will focus on timber framing applying historic and modern architecture and engineering lessons.
Porter led the multidisciplinary team that assessed the condition of the barn, which until 1939, held the title of the largest open span wooden structure in America.
The result of Porter’s survey work and testing resulted in the plan for the extensive restoration and rehabilitation of the barn, including dormers, windows, roof, walls, beams and foundation, which was completed in 2019.
Tour the building with us and join the discussion.
Doug Porter (School of Engineering, University of Vermont) is an architectural conservator who directs grant-funded research and training projects in cooperation with partners including the National Park Service, the United States Marine Corps, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Shelburne Farms National Historic Landmark, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest.
Jan Lewandowski is a timber framer and preservationist living in Northern Vermont. He and his crew specialize in the restoration of wooden bridges, church trusses and steeples and other historic heavy timber, and have done so for over 40 years. Jan is the author of a great number of articles on framing, published in various journals but notably Timber Framing and co-author of the book Historic American Roof Trusses (2007).
Chris Carbone has been with Bensonwood since 2003 and leads the engineering department. He is recognized as an innovator in wood based, off-site construction systems, and has presented at numerous conferences and institutions promoting the use of wood as a key element in modern building structures and enclosures.
About the Breeding Barn: The Shelburne Farms Breeding Barn, a National Historic Landmark, is a monumental example of the estate architecture that appeared in North America near the end of the nineteenth century. It was built from 1889 to 1891 to showcase W. Seward Webb's grand horse breeding operation. With an interior exercise ring 375 feet long, it was the largest open-span wooden structure in America until 1939.
Seward's dream was to breed an ideal Hackney horse for Vermont farmers, but by 1904 the enterprise had largely failed. In 1913, Seward and Lila Webb deeded land that included the Breeding Barn and Old Dairy Barn to their eldest son. The Breeding Barn was then used sporadically for fox hunts, polo, hay storage and to shelter cattle.
In 1994, Shelburne Farms reacquired the two magnificent barns and 400 surrounding acres. Work then began to save the Breeding Barn, reinforcing its structure and replacing its roof.
About Shelburne Farms
About The Engineering Council, Timber Framers Guild
About Bensonwood

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In this webinar recording, Tedd shares information about the OpenHome design system, launched by Bensonwood in collaboration with architects KieranTimberlake and Lake|Flato in 2020. Tedd covers the flexibility of the design platforms, the prefabrication process, and expected costs and timelines.

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Timelapse of Bensonwood prefabricated panelized enclosure and timber frame structure assembled onsite.

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Timelapse of onsite assembly of our prefabricated panelized building enclosure and timberframe structure.

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Bensonwood designs and builds homes throughout the country - and works with other design teams to build durable, healthy homes.

Once designed and engineered in our studio, the home is first built digitally, by our virtual fabrication team. Once the digital model reaches design lock, components are fabricated off-site. Timbers are shaped and formed in the timber frame shop, closed panel are manufactured by our building system team, and stairs and trim are built in our extensive woodworking shop. The home components are delivered to the site and assembled in a matter of days to be weather-tight.

In this video Bensonwood's job captain explains the process of assembling the components on site.

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Building professionals are considering alternative methods to traditional on-site framing and construction for projects of all sizes - from single-family residential, residential developments, multi-family, and even commercial and institutional projects. This webinar will answer commonly asked questions about when it makes sense to incorporate off-site panelized construction - and explain the different types of panels available in today’s marketplace.

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Reflecting on some of our favorite moments and projects from 2019 has us looking forward to the next decade. Thank you to all of our friends and collaborators! Onward to 2020.

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