Because the structure was built to tightly fit the back corner of the property, we were not able to berm it in. Instead we framed it with extra wide planks to be able to add more insulation than required. We did tap into the traditional craftsmen community of the area to build the central support and roof with the vigas and latillas typical of the area. When choosing the logs for the beams, I made a point of picking the most organic, tree-like pieces in the pile. As we were digging deep into the pile to choose the most imperfect pieces, the miller had a big smile on his face for being able to offload the least desirable logs. He laughed as he said that most folks tried to find the perfect pieces despite the fact they were using trees. We also selected a variety that were milled into planks. Instead of squaring the edges of the logs, we lapped them to close the gaps in the ceiling while revealing the natural edge of the trees.
Grandpa was rounding out his time in Vietnam, where he had been teaching since 1990. So, he oversaw the construction of his design from afar while I managed the day to day outcomes. He decided he wanted the ceiling to be dark & I couldn’t imagine a paint that would not obscure the organic nature of the lapped wood we had come up with for the ceiling. In the end, I though of the fire I had been incorporating into the collages I was creating at the time and decided to take a blowtorch to the wood. Later I learned that this was actually a technique used over the centuries in adobe construction to help protect the wood from termites and other insect infestations. It makes sense that this method would deter them, and the process is appealing in the way that it is a natural repellent.
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