Timber Frame Course Collaboration/ EBANZ article

Benito Steen and Graeme Scott Course Collaboration
Traditional Timber Framing in Golden Bay

​Back in February two brilliant craftsmen from different continents came together to collaborate on teaching a traditional timber frame course in Golden Bay, Aotearoa. Benito Steen of the Canelo Project (US) and Graeme Scott co-founder of Elemental Design and Build (NZ, originally UK) seamlessly wove their knowledge together in a very special combination of lineages.

You can see the full EBANZ article in the slideshow below or read the adapted article and extra photos underneath the slideshow. 

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During the week-long course 14 students, from all over Aotearoa and beyond, learnt the craft of mortice and tenon joinery. This is no simple feat, people find different aspects of the process challenging. There are many skills to get a handle on including translating the 2D plans onto 3D timbers to understand how they fit together, learning how to read the timbers and mark them correctly, calculating measurements and getting comfortable with hand and power tools to shape the wood. Several scribing techniques were taught: the less complex square rule method was more widely used but Graeme also explained the ancient plumb bob and level scribing techniques. Finally on the last day, the timber frame was erected and the students got to see how their joints fit together with the rest of the frame and see the structure in all its majesty. 

Benito says ‘There’s nothing quite like building a structure to truly bring people together. In our workshop, each person shapes their own piece, each joint carefully laid out by hand, and by the end of the class, all those individual efforts find their place within a greater whole, when we raise the building as a team.’ 

Graeme says ‘It was an honour to facilitate this course for such enthusiastic students who soaked up the techniques. The passion that these men and women of all ages brought to the woodwork was a real joy to see. It was great to have a few conventional builders on the course who were thirsty to explore true craftsmanship by learning these techniques.’

This was the first time Graeme and Benito had worked together with only a handful of emails and one video call before they met in person to do the course. ‘Working with Benito was easy and really enjoyable, we both brought different aspects of timber framing together to create a well rounded holistic course. As with all crafts there is always more to learn and working together with Benito gave us both an opportunity to explore each other's techniques in the world of traditional timber framing.’ 

‘I learned so much working alongside Graeme, who comes from a completely different lineage of timber framing. The exchange of knowledge really enriched my craft. It deepened what I am able to pass on to students. Truly a pleasure.’ 

These courses are not only about expanding knowledge and learning specialised woodworking techniques but also creating a beautiful community of humans who come together for a common purpose: to craft and build a striking structure that will stand the test of time. A community is born through shared meals, connection, conversation, working on complex challenges together and lots of laughter. Friendships are made. A stunning structure is built.

Ben and Alene, our gracious hosts and friends of Benito’s, provided a picturesque location for the workshop, surrounded by trees, with plenty of space for the participants to camp. The lusitanica timber was locally grown and milled, and the timber structure, which Benito designed specifically for the site, will become a stunning guest house on their property.

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BENITO STEEN is a builder and artist, who strives to find the connection between space and beauty, shelter and nature, the hand and materials. Born and raised in southeastern Arizona where his parents teach natural building, Benito comes from a long lineage of artists and makers. He has taught natural building and timber framing throughout the US, Latin American, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. Always learning and experimenting he mixes old techniques with the new, to create beautifully sustainable and healthy houses.

GRAEME SCOTT, has been exploring carpentry all his life. He started in his dad’s workshop as a boy, and over the last 30 years it has become his life’s passion to craft beautiful spaces combining timber with natural materials. Graeme has been teaching Traditional Timber Framing and Natural Building for more than 15 years in the UK and NZ. His well-rounded knowledge base of all things timber adds great depth to what he teaches, enriching the courses far beyond the basics. ​

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At Elemental, we design and build timber frames and timber elements in our workshop in Golden Bay from locally sourced logs, and transport the finished products all over the country. Locally, we construct complete buildings with light earth, straw bale or full timber wall systems that complement our timber frames. We have several courses coming up for a large timber frame that is in the final design stages, to find out more and to be added to our course mailing list and waiting list please email: [email protected]. If you want to learn more about our structures and who we are check out our website.

To find out more about Benito’s work and the Canelo Project in the USA check out their website there are listings of their courses, incredible photos of their projects, books and so much more! Connect with Benito through instagram. With his brother Kalin they also run the successful YouTube channel the Nito Project, inspiring people of all ages, across the world, to learn about Natural Building and crafting with earth.​