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ALTHOUGH MASTER CARPENTERS WERE
CAREFUL TO REPLICATE THE ARTS AND
CRAFTS STYLE IN CREATING ROOMDEFINING DOORWAYS IN REQUIA, THE
BATHROOM CABINETS IN ANDIROBA SHOW
AN APPRECIATION FOR CONVENIENCES OF
STORAGE CAPACITY COMMON TODAY.
PH OTO BY SA R A H A R NESON
Built toLast
W
ider usage of exotic wood species in residential
applications is one result of two major trends
converging.
The first has to do with the people who live in houses.
Market researchers describe “the new consumers,” as being
more concerned with long-lasting value than convenience.
New consumers are willing to spend money, but they buy
more carefully. They think about the life-cycle of products
and materials, and will pay more for products they feel good
about. There is a renewed appreciation for craftsmanship.
While it would be easy to connect the economic downturn
of recent history to this shift in buying philosophy, this
change of sensibility is a part of a more legitimate trend that
has been evolving over the past decade and increasing the
demand for exotic wood species.
The second trend has to do with the people who design
houses. Architectural curriculum increasingly includes construction training (see story about Studio 804 on page 53).
As a result, architects have better material sensibility, which
translates to more practical designs. Many firms partner
with trusted craftsmen or offer “design/build” services,
where the same company functions as both the architect
and the contractor. This has advantages for both the design
professional and the homeowner in terms of tighter control
over the quality of the end product, where once again, exotic
wood species benefit.
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INTERNATIONAL WOOD
THE 16TH STREET REMODEL
HOUSES A DYNAMIC MIX OF
ELEGANTLY CONTRASTING
WOODGRAINS THROUGHOUT,
FROM CABINETS AND FURNITURE
TO FLOORING AND WALLS.
IT’S KUHL TO BE LEAN
A
rchitect James Meyer grew up on the west coast, but he spent time in
New York working for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP before settling in the City of Manhattan Beach, California. Rapid development
of the area left Meyer increasingly frustrated. “There seemed to me to be a lot of
homes being built by speculative building contractors who didn’t really care about
the things I felt were important, such as sustainable building concepts and passive
building techniques,” says Meyer.
In 1991 Meyer founded LeanArch, a boutique design/build firm dedicated to
regionally appropriate sustainable architecture. “One of the main reasons behind
becoming a general contractor was that we were running into problems when
specifying. Contractors who were unfamiliar with alternative energy systems, or
who didn’t know how to source exotic materials, were very hesitant,” explains
Meyer. “We found that a lot of times important components of the design were
being taken out before they were even looked into.”
LeanArch began to quietly stage a design revolution. In 2007 they finished
Kuhlhaus I, a site-specific home engineered to lead by example. The project is
oriented to optimize daylight and ventilation for passive heating and cooling. It
includes radiant floor heating and a solar panel array that provides electricity
for tankless “flash” water heaters. Eco-friendly finish materials, including 85%
recycled aluminum panels, concrete fiber and sustainably harvested cumaru
BELOW: BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER AS EVIDENCED IN
KUHLHAUS 01, A THREE-BEDROOM, THREE-BATH HOME
ON A HALF LOT WITH LESS THAN 1,800 SQUARE FEET OF
SPACE. LEFT: KUHLHAUS 02 IS A SOLAR-POWERED FOURBEDROOM, FOUR-BATH DWELLING WITH AN OPEN FLOOR
PLAN FEATURING DURABLE CUMARU INSIDE AND OUT FOR
CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES.
INTERNATIONAL WOOD
47
make up the interior and exterior finishes. “We consider aesthetics,”
says Meyer,” but we also look at how the materials perform. Take the
wood for example. We use a lot of FSC-certified exotic species, red balau
(Shorea spp.), machiche (Lonchocarpus castilloi), santos mahogany
(Myroxylon balsamum), cumaru (Dipteryx odorata), because they hold
up in a marine environment. Plus they’re insect resistant, and in this
area there are problems with termites and boring bees.”
The goal of the project was to demonstrate that responsible design is
not only possible, but also desirable. Although the house sits on a small
30ft x 40ft lot, there were four cash offers for the property before construction was completed; and the final sales price of $3.25 million set a
new record high for the area. That got some attention. “I give tours and
talks to people from the City of Manhattan Beach, builders, contractors
etc., and explain the benefits of this type of design.” The local government now implements many of Meyer’s techniques for civic projects
and there is steady demand for Lean’s services. Beyond that, the firm has
received quite a collection of awards.
Meyer is pleased with the results his team of consultants, engineers
and subcontractors has achieved. “All of us work together to bring these
big ideas down to earth,” he says. But more than recognition, Meyer
is committed to educating people that there are better ways to build
than development for quick turn around. “I try to promote in our work
projects that they are not only meaningful, but also long lasting. I always
promote using exotic wood products from a sustainability perspective
because it is a renewable resource. Properly built structures made from
wood can last thousands of years. That’s longevity.” n
P.O. Box 380 • 501 Market Street
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 USA
ten miles south of Philadelphia on I-95
TEL:
610-485-6600 FAX: 610-485-0471
E-MAIL: sales@alanmcilvain.com
www.alanmcilvain.com
SW-COC-000921
5 million board feet in stock –
6 moulders at your service
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INTERNATIONAL WOOD
Sapele Mahogany
African Mahogany (Khaya)
Mahogany
Spanish Cedar
Teak
Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry)
Northern Appalachian Hardwoods
When the homeowners saw the requia and andiroba, it was
love at first sight. Both species have hues that go from black to
white with dark pink. The striations and interlocking grain
require an expert’s skills to machine, but the swirls have
remarkable visual impact.
CONNECTING TO QUALITY
PH OTOG R A PHY BY SA R A H A R NESON
T
he arts and crafts style really resonated with
the clients. They wanted something native to
the area that had a certain design integrity
inside and outside,” says David Arneson, one of the
founding architects of Center Studio Architecture
in Durham, North Carolina. The owners were also
very particular about craftsmanship and long-term
durability. At the heart of the aesthetic was the intention to create a home that convincingly looks like
it was built 100 years ago, complete with rooms that
are clearly defined with articulated doorways (as opposed to the modern open floor plan). It would eventually take a team of over a dozen master carpenters
to clad this large home in carefully-crafted wood.
Two exotic species
were chosen as the main
materials for the project.
Andiroba (Carapa guianensis) makes up the bulk
of the cabinetry, including in a butler’s pantry,
kitchen, office and bathrooms. Requia (Guarea
trichilioides), which is
similar in color, was
specified for the built-ins
and trim (including the
ceilings) and all of the
custom doors. “We did
go with domestic species
in the secondary areas,
where durability was not
as important, and the woodwork would not be the
main focal point, which follows suit in the traditional style,” say Arneson. The closets are finished in
painted poplar, the attic ceiling in pine.
For more information contact sales staff
Doug - Bill - Pam - Roy
(228) 832-1899 / fax: (228) 831-1149
1-800-647-9547
www.newmanlumber.com
Gulfport, Mississippi USA
SCS-COC-002027
Available Upon Request
NEWMAN
INTERNATIONAL WOOD
49
If this same arts and crafts house had been built in 1915, it probably would
have been made with quarter-sawn white oak. “We had several woods to
choose from, sapele, African mahogany, genuine mahogany, possibly cedar.
But they chose the requia and andiroba for the figuring and notation,” says
Andrew Sloop of Amazon Millworks, the materials supplier. “The homeowners were very particular about their vision, and they were not 100% happy
with the other species. When they saw the requia and andiroba, it was love at
first sight.” Both species have hues that go from black to white with dark pink.
The striations and interlocking grain require an expert’s skills to machine,
but the swirls have remarkable visual impact.
Although the end product in its own right is outstanding, it is the synergy of
relationships that made this project possible. Sloop entered the business of distributing exotic wood species during a missionary trip to Peru. He stayed with a
carpenter whose artisan skill, working with species that were equally beautiful
and challenging to machine, was inspiring. Sloop set up a facility in Peru with
the carpenter’s son, and provided a means for their goods to reach the broad U.S.
market. Upon return to North Carolina, Sloop also cultivated a network of local
architects, including Arneson, and specialized craftsmen who could confidently
specify and work with imported species. The result is an international community of professionals that maintain a high level of quality and integrity. And
in this case, very satisfied homeowners.
DONE RIGHT
Exotic wood is the original high-quality, environmentally friendly building
material. Sustainably harvested species benefit local and global economies.
They are completely renewable, long-lasting and recyclable, not to mention
beautiful. So it is not surprising that the “new consumer” is increasingly demanding exotics, or that the design/build architect is becoming more confident sourcing and using them. IW
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INTERNATIONAL WOOD