Excerpt from 'South African Timber Buildings - a Craft Revived' , by Rosemary Rudd
"With the exception of all but a few parts of the world the timber building tradition has largely been replaced over the last century as designers and builders moved towards masonry, concrete and steel. In today's increasingly high paced and high-tech world, however, some people prefer a home that is more than just a place of shelter from the elements - they want a sanctuary, a place of rejuvenation and relaxation and a place that reflects their aesthetic ideals. It should therefore come as no surprise that there has been a worldwide rediscovery of the most natural of all building products, timber, as people again gravitate towards building homes that best express the beauty and tranquillity of nature. In South Africa, timber homes were re-introduced as an alternative to conventional brick and mortar homes in the sixties, and have seen a growing resurgence, as in other parts of the world, over the last two decades."
"Timber frame is a time honoured, energy-efficient, environmentally sound, versatile, structurally safe and above all aesthetically pleasing method of building. Given continued sustainable forest management, an increasing desire to make the correct environmental choices, and the re-discovery of the comfort of living in a timber home and the natural beauty of timber as a material, the growing trend of building timber homes could be just the start."
Jacques Cronje
A Craft Revived
