Hybrid Timber & Glass Architecture
Engineered glulam and glass for spans timber alone can't reach.
When a design calls for spans and walls of glass that solid timber cannot achieve alone, engineered timber answers. Our hybrid work pairs exposed glulam frames - and discreet steel where it earns its place - with floor-to-ceiling glazing for a thoroughly modern kind of warmth.
When engineered timber is the answer
Glue-laminated timber, or glulam, is built up from kiln-dried lamellae into members far stronger and more dimensionally stable than solid wood. It lets us reach longer clear spans, form curved beams, and open up rooms where solid timber would be too limited.
It is still, unmistakably, timber - warm, tactile, and honest - but engineered to perform where tradition reaches its limits.
Precision fabrication and raising
Hybrid frames live or die by tolerance. We fabricate glulam members to within two millimeters, coordinate the steel and glazing connections in advance, and raise the whole assembly in a single tightly choreographed sequence.
On sites with no margin for error - a beam meeting a curtain wall meeting a stone hearth - that precision is everything.
Projects in this discipline.
Hybrid Timber & Glass Architecture - questions & answers
What is the difference between glulam and solid timber?
Solid timber is a single piece of wood; glulam is built from many kiln-dried boards bonded together. Glulam is stronger for its weight, more stable, and can be formed into curves and longer spans. Solid timber has more natural character.
Is a hybrid frame still 'real' timber?
Entirely. Glulam is wood through and through; it is simply engineered for performance. We use it where its strengths serve the design and solid timber where character matters most - often in the same home.
Can a timber-and-glass home be energy efficient?
Yes. Large glazing is paired with high-performance glass, careful solar orientation, and a well-detailed envelope. We have delivered hybrid homes approaching passive-house performance.
Will you collaborate with our modern architect?
Gladly - much of our hybrid work is done hand in hand with architecture studios pushing contemporary design, where engineered timber makes their vision buildable.
Have a timber project in mind?
Tell us where it is, what you are building, and what you need from the frame. We will let you know if the project fits our shop calendar.