Circular Barn Club part 2: Traditional techniques for tomorrows circular buildings

Published: 30 October 2024

Read about how forestry, timber construction, circular economy and cultural heritage can share the same values and inspire the future.

In June 2024, we organized an international workshop related to SirkTRE and DRASTIC, where architects and other professionals associated with SirkGlobal were invited. A total of nine people participated, including representatives from CITA in Copenhagen and TNO in the Netherlands, as well as participants from Omtre and NTNU. All of the participants share a common interest in wood and historical constructions seen in a modern context.

To supplement the timber previously cut in the forest, we also used old barn timber from Omtres warehouse. This way, we combined new wood with around 100-year-old timber. The result was a harmonious combination that also shows that old timber can be processed and reused again.

Traditional hand tools

CU handtool 2 — Throughout the workshop, we worked with traditional hand tools such as axes, chisels and saws. The dimensions we used were 5”, and we're not talking about the modern inch, but the traditional inch, which we can also call the Danish-Norwegian inch. This is 2.617cm and was used in house building before we switched to the metric system. Although the metric system was formally introduced in 1875, the old inch was used roughly until the Second World War.

A master at work

Master Jon guided us through the week with a wealth of knowledge about how wood behaves and how to utilize its properties in a building. By having the right quality in the right place, you get a building with a long lifespan. And you could say that's the circular economy in practice.

When it comes to the Huldra barn as a learning arena, there is an expression that Godal often uses: «å herme røysle». In other words, you mimic the movements of others. By watching how a skilled person works, you can mimic these movements and learn the right technique.

Traditional joints have stood the test of time. The very execution of the old building techniques provides us with a valuable foundation for building the circular buildings of the future.