In the modern world it is very difficult to create something exclusively new, that is why, somehow, some design solutions and architectural styles of past epochs find new incarnations in modern times. For example, every year the colorful houses in the style of half-timbered houses come to us from the countries of Western Europe and Scandinavia of the XVI century.
In this article we will talk about the history of the construction of fachwerk houses, the features of technology and the application of this style in modern construction."Dream House" will talk about the timing of the construction of such houses, what materials are used for them and what advantages have fachwerks.
Houses in the style of fachwerk
Features of houses in the style of fachwerk
In literal translation, the German word Fachwerk means "sections" and "construction."The facade of the house in this style is divided by a rigid skeleton into several equal cells, which at various times it was decided to fill with different materials.
It is believed that originally houses in the style of fachwerk started to be erected in Germany, but also similar construction was inherent in some countries of Western Europe, England and Scandinavia.
Houses in the style of a half-timbered house photo
What is a half-timbered house in the construction of
To understand what fachwerk is in construction, it's enough to look at the architectural tendencies of Germany of the XV-XVI century. At that time, according to fashion requirements, the rigid frame of the structure was made of dark wood species, for example, larch or oak. The frame itself was vertical, horizontal and diagonal elements, which, apart from decorative function, were also supporting elements.
The cells between the frame were first made to be filled in an adobe way, using mixtures of straw and lime. And in England, for example, to fill the cells used, mostly, brick and clay. To protect the wooden structure from rotting, the basement was faced with a stone.
Finishing a house under a half-timbered house photo
Facade of a house in the style of a half-timbered house
The facade of a house in the style of a half-timbered house was the main decoration of the structure. In some countries, for example, in Germany and England, the houses in the central city streets must have been ennobled in this style in order to create a single architectural ensemble.
The facade of the house in the style of the half-timbered house
At the same time, in addition to the colorful facade, quite often such houses were decorated with additional ornaments bearing a special symbolism. For example, at one time in German architecture it was popular to cross the upper beams in the form of a cross or Latin letter X, which was called "Andreevsky cross".Later, this baptism was embodied in a special complex ornament, which was used by people not only as a decoration of the building, but also as a symbol of protection from fire. And the curls on the side beams, resembling the letter S, were a protection against lightning and natural disasters. If a person was engaged in agriculture, he decorated his house with a circle ornament, which symbolized the Sun.
At home Fachwerk photo
Fachwerk house construction
Fachwerk-style houses in modern version
In our spaces, the construction of fachwerk houses became very popular in the early 70s, together with the spread of frame construction. Naturally, the modern technology of erecting such houses is significantly different from the XVI-XVII century.
The frame is usually made of solid or glued beams of coniferous trees. Very often inside the frame are placed polypropylene or mineral wool plates with waterproof and windproof layers, which many times increase the strength of the structure.
Frame house in the style of a half-timbered house
Modern construction of houses in the style of a half-timbered house
The building itself can be made of various materials. Fachwerk technology allows the use of polypropylene plates, sandwich panels or cement-particle boards to create structures. Before the start of construction, any material is treated with special compositions that prevent decay, fungus development, and also increase fire resistance.
In the modern version, the decoration of the house in the style of half-timbered buildings can be decorated with glazing. Depending on the architectural design, the glazed can be both the facade of the building and the frame itself. Houses with impressive glazing of the facade look very stylish and unusual, but some consider them not economical enough in terms of energy savings, although in fact it is not. Glazing for houses in fachwerk style is supplemented with special energy-saving material, which reduces heat loss. In addition, if you equip such a house with warm floors, it will become much more economical than any other wooden structure.
Modern construction of houses in the style of a half-timbered house
House in the style of a half-timbered house photo
Also some peculiarities are the layout of the house in this style. If earlier the load-bearing wooden frame of the house, as a rule, did not hide, creating a special atmosphere inside the premises, now a variety of materials can be used for its finishing. But most often for this purpose, gypsum fiber boards are used, which improve sound insulation and create fire protection.
For safety reasons, it is recommended to use separate rooms to create a boiler house in such houses.
Advantages of houses in the style of fachwerk
In addition to its stylish appearance, the frame house in the style of half-timbered houses is notable for lack of shrinkage and the possibility to use budgetary shallow-laid foundation during construction.
In addition, like any frame structure, the design and construction of houses in the style of half-timbered buildings is performed in a relatively short time. On average, in the factory, the frame of the house is completed in two weeks, and its assembly takes place in no more than 10 days. All construction and finishing work is carried out in two or three months.
House in the style of a half-timbered house photo
House in glass in the style of a half-timbered house Photo
Thanks to the use of special materials, the houses erected on this technology can withstand sufficiently low temperatures in the winter and keep the indoor air cool in the summer.
And, of course, imitation fachwerk opens unimaginable possibilities for the implementation of various design solutions. Depending on the materials used and the color scheme, the appearance of such a house can be either ultra-modern or embodying classical rigor.
House of glass in the style of a half-timbered house photo
Facades of houses in the style of a half-timbered house
Thanks to its beauty, accessibility and practicality, houses in the style of half-timbered houses are still popular in many countries. Especially beautiful houses in this style are looked in tandem with harmonious personal plots decorated with various greenery and decorative elements.
