Framed for purpose

Words by Jamie Crocker

Carpenter Oak designs and constructs enduring, bespoke buildings with structural timber.

From garden retreats to manor extensions, Carpenter Oak has built a reputation for turning timber into structures that feel considered and commanding. Their work begins in the forests of Europe, where all timber is PEFC-certified and the capture of carbon during growth becomes a permanent feature of the building itself. Sustainability is embedded into every beam, every joint, every detail.

The company’s portfolio is varied, ranging from intimate garden rooms to substantial commercial projects. The Pool House Pavilion, perched above the River Exe, demonstrates how traditional craft can fit snuggly into contemporary design. Its venerable oak frame anchors the building within its surroundings. Large glazed panels capture the shifting light, while natural finishes give the space warmth and tactility. It is a setting for relaxation where the timber both supports and defines the experience of being there.

In the Cotswolds what began as a poorly converted barn has been reimagined by architects McLean Quinlan into a home that honours both landscape and legacy. The owners, seeking something more timeless and considered than what existed, chose a radical approach, one that would echo the region’s agricultural heritage while bringing architectural clarity to their family retreat.

Carpenter Oak, having previously collaborated with the clients on their London residence, was invited to lend structural design expertise to this ambitious project. The brief called for a home that would be practical and generous.

Central to the project was the creation of a nine-meter-high, single-volume main barn. To make such a space habitable, the team designed and crafted a structural green oak frame that is exposed and proportioned to suit the scale of the architecture. The result is a structure that feels substantial but not overpowering.

The installation itself demanded precision and careful coordination. Carpenter Oak’s team managed the erection of the frame, including complex junctions and roof geometry. With two new wings added to the salvaged stone shell, the frame had to integrate seamlessly into the revised layout. 

The oak frame serves as both a structural and aesthetic anchor, paired thoughtfully with Cotswold stone, lime plaster and a restrained palette of natural materials. The timber brings warmth and rhythm to the interiors, while oak beams, doors and ceilings extend the language of the structure throughout, creating a calm and unbroken space.

In Buckinghamshire, outdoor living is elevated through timber framing, as seen in a bespoke outdoor bar and kitchen for clients looking for a timber-framed structure as part of the remodelling of their back garden. The oak structure delineates space while integrating cooking and bar facilities. Covered areas encourage gathering and movement and the proportions of the frame contribute as much to the sense of place as its finish. The pavilion feels cohesive and comfortable, demonstrating the potential for timber to shape both function and atmosphere.

Architects, Charlie Luxton Design, enlisted Carpenter Oak as collaborators on the new addition to a listed 17th-century manor house in Worcestershire, with the company providing expertise on timber selection, connections and finishes. The wing comprises two distinct spaces flanking a central fireplace, with the kitchen and dining area positioned on one side and a lounge area on the other.

Structurally, the extension features a series of columns and ceiling beams, employing both traditional pegged carpentry joints and contemporary aluminium dovetail locking timber connections. The final cross frame incorporates a steel flitch plate to ensure absolute rigidity for the curtain screen glazing. Carpenter Oak also worked in close consultation with Varndell Engineers on the engineering elements throughout the project.

This stunning addition represents an exquisitely finished piece of architecture where every detail has been carefully considered. Internally, the oak glulam delivers sleek, contemporary lines, while generous skylights flood the spaces with natural light. Externally, the wing presents a modern contrast to the well-proportioned original house, finished with local stone and crowned by a cantilevered copper zinc raised seam flat roof.

The project demonstrates how contemporary architectural interventions can successfully enhance historic properties when executed with skill and sensitivity.

At Broad Down Cottage in Devon, Carpenter Oak has created an oak-framed extension that merges traditional building methods with contemporary living requirements. The vaulted two-bay structure expands the home’s primary entertainment area, functioning as both kitchen and social space.

The design respects the architectural vernacular of the South Hams. The oak frame echoes the existing building through its use of common rafters and sarking boards. Details were carefully considered to ensure the extension relates to the original structure while providing a more open interior.

The timber-framed addition shows how natural materials can deliver both craft quality and longevity. The space is practical and refined, built to endure beyond immediate needs.

On the River Tay in Scotland, The Boathouse demonstrates sustainable construction methods at a moment when the industry faces pressure to reduce environmental impact. The project drew on local trades, knowledge and materials to address practical challenges while exploring new approaches to timber building.

The site’s seasonal flooding required careful consideration. A nearby forest of larch and fir, scheduled for thinning, provided a solution. Twenty trees were selected for their structural properties. Belgian draft horses extracted the timber to avoid damaging the woodland, and a temporary sawmill was established near the construction site.

Architects Barboza Blanco designed the interior in response to the timber frame. The sculptural structure shapes how the space functions rather than simply supporting it. The frame creates zones for different activities while maintaining a visual connection to the landscape.

The structure uses solid-section green timber throughout, joined using traditional techniques without metal fixings. Mortise and tenon, birdsmouth and half-lap joints were cut by hand, accommodating the natural shrinkage of fresh timber. The scale and complexity of these connections made the expertise of Carpenter Oak’s team and local craftspeople essential to realising the design.

The project suggests that environmental responsibility and technical ambition need not be opposing forces. By working with local resources and established joinery methods, it shows timber construction as both materially efficient and architecturally expressive.

The Boathouse received the Structural Timber Award for Private Housing Project of the Year 2025.

Finally, The Wheel House, a new build in South Devon, employs a hybrid structural approach with oak framing concentrated in key living areas. The frame defines the living room, kitchen and a covered outdoor space, while the remainder of the building uses conventional construction.

Seven trusses span the living room and three the kitchen, arranged in a T-shaped plan, with an additional truss over the master bedroom. The scissor truss profile gives these spaces a contemporary character. The trusses rest on masonry walls or minimal timber and glazed sections, with external oak posts providing visual continuity.

A series of oak posts mounted on granite saddle stones complements the stone cladding and zinc roof. Two further trusses extend eastward from these posts to form a covered outdoor area for dining and gathering.

Local contractor Martin Joyce executed details including a glass entrance set beneath the zinc roofline, a sheltered courtyard garden, and cedar cladding on selected external walls.

Carpenter Oak approaches every commission with a fresh eye, meeting planning requirements while shaping each frame around the client’s ambitions. Every structure is hand-crafted, ensuring its individuality. As the timber matures, it gains depth and richness, lending each building authority.

Across each project, the character of the timber influences how spaces are experienced, strengthening the relationship between inside and out and giving the building a distinct identity. For clients, this layered quality is where the real value lies. The frames seem to respond intuitively to the project’s scale and the craftsmanship is evident in every detail. The use of timber helps a structure feel grounded without seeming heavy and its inherent warmth shapes both the exterior presence and the atmosphere within.

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