In the beginning . . . 

. . . God Created . .

. . . Well, let’s move things along shall we? So, a much, much longer time span afterward, Seth Willison drew his first breaths and eventually grew to discover a desire and the vision to create something that speaks profoundly to the human soul, something almost forgotten in our modern industrialist and efficient economy. From childhood in South Mississippi, he had an imagination to create magical and adventurous spaces, from subterranean huts on the forest floor to tree huts suspended from the shady canopies; a typical story perhaps for children in the countrysides of the world, but nonetheless an experience that was deeply imbedded in Seth's psyche and would manifest itself many years later along the winding road.     

Finally settling into a career in architecture with the goal of reintegrating simple yet beautiful residential design and construction, Seth started to think of ways to revive, reuse, and refine the vernacular architecture and a truly indigenous architecture, that of the Acadian French, known as Cajuns, and the Creole people in his particular area of the Southeast, a way that could incorporate valuable lessons from rich traditions with the capabilities and possibilities of contemporary technology. The Creole region of the Southeast is the first  melting pot of cultures in the United States, melding the cultures of Indigenous People, such as the Choctaw, French, Acadian French, Spanish, West African, and Caribbean peoples into a culture that is extraordinarily unique in the United States, a sort of cultural gumbo. Seth is intrigued by the way that the Acadians and Creoles adapted a way of designing and building, particularly from Normandy and Brittany, to a very different hot and humid climate. The designs of Willison Timberworks are the culmination of years of study and research of traditional Creole ways of building, with locally available materials such as clay and cypress, and contemporary ways of sensitively and rigorously adapting the design, construction methods, and materials of a house to a specific region with focused attention on the culture and climate.

. . . . The Design Principles and Philosophies that undergird and inspire Willison Timberworks Design Build, derived from traditional and contemporary precedents, are what make our buildings unique.

Sir Winston Churchill once said to the House of Commons, “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.” Frederick Law Olmsted, an American landscape architect stated, “. . . the enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it, tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body, give the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.”

There may be endless discussion and debate around those ideas, but an important point to recognize is that we should be very careful in how we design and construct our buildings. Our clients, and anyone commissioning any building project, play a vital role in realizing our impact on the built environment, for good or ill, and what we leave for future generations. Buildings certainly can affect the health and well-being of the occupants as well as the environment and culture to a certain extent.

We should therefore adopt principles that foster healthy dwellers and a healthy environment. The goal is beautiful simplicity, durability, thrivability, practicality, and economy. The following list highlights some of the features that help us achieve those goals.

1. Structures made of heavy timber posts and beams. The advantages of this construction method are many. The timber can be assembled and reassembled, truly recyclable, energy efficient, faster on-site construction time, stronger structure, a higher fire rating, and visually appealing among many others. In fact, most of the components of the buildings can be disassembled and reassembled with little destruction of materials and components, saving costs associated with waste disposal and reducing the waste of valuable timber resources.

2. Designed for the climate of the Southeast, being mindful of hot summers and mild winters. That means that the buildings are oriented and designed to take advantage of passive solar heat gain in the winter and to reduce solar heat gain in the summer. The buildings’ features, such as windows, and shapes also take advantage of the prevailing breezes to naturally ventilate the buildings, reducing the need for more mechanical cooling than necessary. The roof pitch and overhangs are designed to reduce wind loading during hurricanes or thunderstorms.

3. Kitchens that can be opened and closed to respond to the seasons; open in the winter to help heat the buildings and closed in the summer, as a thermal break, to keep other rooms cooler, while still maintaining visual connection to visitors, guests, family, and friends in the adjoining dining room, living room, and other spaces.

4. Building materials are locally sourced, whenever possible, minimally processed, recognizable, and natural, meaning lower manufacturing and transportation costs as well as a simple, healthy, beautiful, and calming finishes. These materials also reduce sick building syndrome and construction site waste, and harmful environmental toxins are eliminated or minimized. If saturated by water due to flooding or a damaged roof in stormy weather such as hurricanes, an optional clay and hemp wall infill and finish can be reconstituted and reused in the wall again. There is no need to dispose of it in a landfill.

5. The exterior wall infill material is a combination of thermal mass and insulation. Clay and hemp are major components of the wall and wall finish system. Clay generates negative ions in the interior environment, producing an experience similar to what we would feel in nature such as in a forest or at a waterfall. It also helps provide a comfortable climate by regulating interior humidity and maintaining thermal equilibrium. Clay is also insect and fire resistant. Hemp is a very good insulator and is moisture and rot resistant. Hempcrete and HempWool is another option for infill material that works in a similar manner.

6. Expansion with additional building modules, such as bedrooms, garages, and other accessory structures to accommodate lifestyle and family changes. Future expansion of the buildings, the houses in particular, is considered in the original design so that modules are gracefully and harmoniously added, maintaining the building's original beauty and simplicity.

These are a few basic considerations and options that we can incorporate into our designs to create unique and valuable dwellings for human beings, who are also unique and valuable.

 For more information, call:  (720) 454-8828,  or e-mail: swillison@willisontimberworks.com