Turpin residence in the foothills of Carpinteria

Santa Barbara Contractors Association 2005 Award for Outstanding Craftsmanship by a Subcontractor

This project's scope of work was the framing of a large, modern, multi-level custom home along with several outbuildings. Beyond the normal complexities of such a project we want to specifically highlight the curved Glu-Lam beam structure that connects the two wings of the house.

The curved Glu-Lam structure is truly artistry in framing, sculptured from clear all heart redwood and custom made engineered wood products. The Glu-Lam structure is not only curved on multiple radiuses but also angled in four separate planes. The curved Glu-Lams had to be laid up with 1/2" thick laminations to bend them into the tight radiuses required.

To meet schedule requirements the Glu-Lams had to be fabricated simultaneously with the foundation construction, so there could be no "cut to fit" adjustments. To accomplish this, the entire beam structure was actually assembled twice. It was built the first time in the fabricator's yard in Santa Rosa, where we made some corrections, and then broke it down for shipment. There were no extra pieces or any allowance for damaged or mis-cut pieces.

The bottom of each arch was bolted into a full surround metal base support, which was embedded in the foundation. There was no room for adjustment. Each arch had to be installed in a specific sequence, which was determined in advance, and then carefully orchestrated on-site. Each of the main arched members was different in size and radius, resulting in hundreds of different complex compound angle cuts for all of the horizontal members. These had to be fit perfectly since every joint is exposed to view.

In addition, the Glu-Lams were specified with square edges and made of Alaskan yellow cedar which is very light in color and fairly soft. Both the beams and exposed hardware received a transparent finish. All of these factors required that these very large structural beams be handled with the utmost care to avoid any dings, dirt, or staining that would be visible later. The structural hardware connections are not only exposed but are also recessed into the beams, again requiring great precision, care, and craftsmanship.

This project is one of the most unique, challenging, and rewarding that we have ever encountered.