Birdseye Building Co.

Coffee table book

2010-05-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

We've recently been honored to have many of our homes put on display in a newly published coffee table book, Perspectives on Design New England.

Local recognition

2010-05-04T15:50:00.002-04:00

The Burlington Free Press picked up on the story about our most recent Waitsfield project and did a wonderful article about the project.

Here's a link to the article: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100417/LIVING03/4170306/Waitsfield-couple-build-dream-green-home

Copper, Cedar, Slate & Stone

2010-02-01T07:22:00.006-05:00

We are nearing completion on this beautiful little house located in the Mad River Valley. Birdseye Building has been working with Waitsfield architect Ellen Strauss. Ellen's approach to architecture and building is a mix of good humor and thoughtful experience. The unique blend of materials and textures combined with a wonderful sense of scale and proportion have made this project really spectacular. The house is heated with geo-thermal heat pumps supplying hot water to radiant floor heat placed in a colored concrete over pour. Some areas have locally harvested yellow birch flooring with cherry accents. Our woodshop has built the cabinets as well as the front door. It is very cozy.

Near the house we have also built a small barn that houses a wood shop and music studio. In back of the barn we erected an 8 KW photovoltaic array that on the cold days with plenty of snow on the ground has been cranking out electricity even beyond its rated capacity. Also near the barn we have planted an orchard of heirloom fruit trees that Ellen selected from Elmore Roots in Elmore Vermont. Below the house, nestled against the base of a small cliff we have built a pond that has nearly completed filling. the pond will be ready to go by spring and will be a great place to hang out on those hot summer days that right now seem a long way away.

2009 aiaVT Award!

2009-12-23T15:40:00.002-05:00

Birdseye Design just received the "Honorable Mention in the Residential Category" at the 2009 aiaVT Excellence in Architecture Design Awards. The Jury "commended the care of exterior detailing, the well integrated use of metal elements, its architectural crispness as well as the carefully conceived site entrance sequence."

Modern Vermont Residence - 3D impression

2009-05-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

The design is developing on a modern residence in the hill sides of Richmond, Vermont. The unique geometries meld with the landscape through the use of simple materials, large windows and a walk-out lower level. The family wing in the foreground bridges the landscape allowing the site flow from the public Entry to the more private walk out level.

Horse Stable Vent Detail

2009-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Rather than a stock component, this beautiful custom vent detail is the kind of attention to detail that makes a project unique.

Modern Lake Side Addition

2009-05-18T07:00:00.001-04:00

Here is an interesting addition. This was added onto a traditional Burlington Lake Side home with great views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. The lake side (shown at top) utilizes garage doors to open spaces to the outdoors and deck space. The south elevation with entry shown a combination of wood and steel treatments.

Modern Dwell-ing on the lakeside

2009-05-13T08:53:00.001-04:00

Into the archives and out with this modern home. Completed a couple years ago it continues to be among our most popular with contemporary vernacular lovers. Copper and Cedar siding, steel skeleton structure, open living plan and magnificent views of Lake Champlain.

Timber Milling

2009-05-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here's something you don't see every day. Here we are milling three logs of Butternut into planks for future woodshop projects. Kevin oversees the milling done by Darwin at Triple D Milling. Once the planks are sawn they are run through an edger to square up the sides. Now they will go into storage for drying.

Modern Horse Stable - Early Morning

2009-05-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

Two more photos of the Horse Stable on Lake Champlain. Here we have the east elevation with hay loft door. Lake Champlain is just visible in the distance.

Stowe Ski Camp

2009-05-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

This Stowe Mountain ski camp and garage follow a strong Vermont vernacular. The garage and camp are connected via an enclosed walk through breezeway. Modest and comfortable. This project is near completion and we should be posting more elevations so check back in soon.

Horse Barn Composter

2009-04-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

With a design to compliment the adjacent barn (seen in a previous posting: Horse Stable) this aerated composting unit accelerates the composting process into a time span of only two months instead of two years. Read more about the benefits of aerated composting from O2Compost.

Horse Stable

2009-04-23T07:00:00.003-04:00

This beautiful equestrian design is home to two noble English Shire draft horses. Set in the rolling hills of Shelburne, Vermont. The barn will also become the base for a Photovoltaic array.

Custom Handmade bench

2009-04-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

Kevin in the woodshop just finished this very beautiful bench made from White Pine. The tenons with a Sapele wedge for contrast compliment the dark streaking in the White Pine.

Cafe Table Part 6 - Base Compete

2009-04-20T07:00:00.002-04:00

The Cafe Table base is now complete and ready for the top. You can see some of the finer detail work in the center bracing connections.

Reclaimed Barn into a Guest House

2009-04-16T10:46:00.001-04:00

Some more interiors and exteriors from the mountain side guest house using timbers from a reclaimed Vermont Barn. Much of the interior is clad in reclaimed barn board.

Mountain Side PV Array

2009-04-13T12:30:00.000-04:00

Here is recent installation of a 6 panel Photovoltaic Electric Power array and a 6 panel Solar Thermal array is just visible in the distance as part of this families efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.

Lake Champlain View

2009-04-08T07:00:00.006-04:00

Here's the view on a spring morning just after the windows are installed. In the distance, Lake Champlain and the Adirondack mountains.

Cafe Table Part 5

2009-04-08T07:00:00.005-04:00

At this stage the Cafe Table's cross members are shaped and integrated with the legs. Chelsie heats the bars until they are glowing red and then bends and hammers, wrapping them around the legs. It happens quite quickly, using the short time the steel is malleable while red hot.

Cafe Table Part 4

2009-04-06T07:00:00.003-04:00

The legs for the cafe table have all now been formed. They are now tacked in place ready to receive the next pieces - the forged cross members.

Lunch at the Chucklin Sugar House

2009-04-03T07:56:00.003-04:00

You know it's spring in Vermont when the sugar houses are spouting steam from their ventilators. Every year in spring we visit the Chucklin sugar house for lunch. In one image you can see in the background the evaporator bellowing steam. This is where the sap is boiled down into syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap and a lot of hard work to make one gallon of syrup. In another image you can see Jack inspecting the brew amongst the thick steam. Thanks to Jack and Chuck.

Domestic Solar Thermal Array.

2009-04-01T16:17:00.004-04:00

This 6 panel Solar Thermal hot water array was installed as a supplemental supply for a small indoor pool in a mountain side home.

Solar Thermal Mechanical system

2009-03-30T07:00:00.004-04:00

This maze of tubing is the primary heating loop. From here, generated heat is sent to where it is stored or used directly for domestic hot water and/or space heating. The energy is supplied by solar thermal collectors and multi-fuel boilers burning bio-diesel or wood.

Cafe Table Part 3

2009-03-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

More work on the Cafe Table. We showed you the first stages of the leg construction and one finished piece. Now Chelsie is bending the remainder of the upper legs' Using his custom shaped maple stump used for forming a gentle curve of the upper leg. The other images include the forge and removing scales with a brush.

Solar Thermal Array

2009-03-26T07:00:00.005-04:00

This detail is an array of vacuum tubes from a solar thermal collector. As opposed to the more common fluid filled flat plate collectors, these transfer solar energy through a Sol-Titanium coated copper heat pipe. The heat pipe heats the solar fluid in the manifold at the top of the collector. From there the solar fluid circulates the solar energy to heat the domestic hot water. The image below is the array during installation(6 panels in total). Notice the photovoltaic array on the roof too! The PV and Solar Thermal arrays are part of the renewable energy systems at the Teal Farm Vermont. See more photos here.

Horse Barn & Storage Shed

2009-03-25T14:43:00.000-04:00

With the Horse Barn finished, it's time for the storage shed. No better time than spring to get the foundation started.

Timber Frame Barn

2009-03-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

Timber frames are always interesting. The aesthetic is quite traditional and sturdy. Here is a barn which is being put together this month near the base of Camel's Hump in Richmond. In one of the images the SIPS roof panels are being installed. These super insulated panels help create an excellent thermal break between the interior and exterior temperatures.

Modern Residence 3D model

2009-03-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

Here is an interesting modern home our architecture department is working on. This is a taste of the front elevation. We'll drop in more details as the project progresses.

Cafe Table Part 2

2009-03-23T10:28:00.003-04:00

Cafe Table. Here we have the lower sections with the segmented design element and one complete leg. The lower section and upper sections are completed separately and then joined together. Here is a pic of Chelsie on the Fairbanks power hammer drawing the material out into shape.

Turning a Reclaimed Barn into a Guest House

2009-03-18T14:55:00.004-04:00

Here is a little taste of the interior of an old Vermont barn reclaimed and converted into a home. This mountain home is an amazing project. Along with some beautiful wood, metal and stone work an array of renewables are being brought on line - geothermal heating and cooling to get started. A Photovoltaic array is in the works too. This photo is just the beginning, a little taste...more to come.

Reclaimed Timber Cupola

2009-03-16T07:00:00.002-04:00

This is a view looking into the cupola of a guest house. Much of the timbers, structural and treatments, are reclaimed from an old Vermont barn painstakingly dismantled in 2007 to reconstructed into this. More photos as the carpenters finish rooms.

Custom Metal Cafe Table

2009-03-13T07:00:00.004-04:00

Here is an interesting project going on in the metal shop. This is the design sketch Chelsie handed me. The organic looking legs are forged pipe necked and upset into shape. This will be an interesting project to follow.

Custom Wrought Iron Hooks

2009-03-11T08:54:00.002-04:00

Wandered into the metal shop today to find these nicely shaped coat hooks sitting on the bench. Chelsie has been playing with a few variations. One of the many highly sought after pieces coming out of the metal shop. Always interesting to see a process photo before they take their final shape.

Stunning Cupola and PV array

2009-03-02T07:00:00.005-05:00

Here is another current project, an energy barn for an organic farm (see our first posting for the farm house). You can see a hint of the Photovoltaic array, 78 panels in total. Other renewables not seen here... Solar thermal panels, geothermal, micro hydro and a micro wind turbine either up and running or in progress.

Contemporary Residence

2009-02-26T16:51:00.003-05:00

Here is a newly completed project. I think the picture speaks for itself.

Stump Table Part 2

2009-02-23T07:00:00.003-05:00

Kevin now has the stump inside the woodshop. Here he is using a router in a jig to work the surface for a more consistent plane than the chainsaw provided. Then he appled Pentacryl, a liquid used to draw the moisture out of the wood. Next the stump will go into a climate controlled space for further drying.

Timber Frame Tower

2009-02-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Here is another timber frame. This frame is set within a residence as an open internal tower. The timbers are too big to lift by hand so we brought a crane in to help out. The timber is a locally sourced Larch, a strong and rot resistant wood. Additionally, it provides a beautiful aesthetic with a darker center (heart).

Published in Green Business Quarterly!

2009-02-18T12:23:00.005-05:00

Just arrived! One of our modern efficient homes on the cover of Green Business Quarterly and some coverage inside! Comes out Spring 2009... soon.

Steel Table Base

2009-02-18T10:26:00.002-05:00

Chelsie has been busy in the metal shop with this custom table base.

Sled Runners Part 5

2009-02-18T09:56:00.003-05:00

Into the finish booth and a coat of glossy red paint by Rock. Once dry they are ready to hit the snow and start collecting sap come spring. Check back in a few months to see them in action pulled by a pair of beautiful Shires, an English Draft horse.

Greensboro Modern Residence

2009-02-07T12:32:00.000-05:00

Photo-realistic portrayal of Greensboro project using 3D modeling and Photoshop trickery. This can give the impression of the home before breaking ground.

Stump Table

2009-02-03T16:06:00.002-05:00

Another interesting woodshop project... a table made from a tree stump. This stump was reclaimed from a clients property. Rather than simply bury the stump this one will become a beautiful table. First step it to prepare the material to be used. Here Chelsie is creating an even surface for the top. Next Kevin will take it into the workshop and work his magic.

Sled Runners Part 4

2009-02-03T14:43:00.003-05:00

Now we are ready for the finishing stage. Guy has finished the laminating and Chelsie in the metal shop re-assembled the steel components with new hardware. Now it will head into the spray booth with Rock for a smooth coat of fresh paint.

Sled Runners part 3

2009-01-27T13:27:00.004-05:00

The glue-ups are completed and now cut into the four runners. Here one runner is dry clamped along with other replacement pieces to ensure all pieces fit in place. Next step is the finish department and then the metal shop for the steel plates.

Sled Runners part 2

2009-01-14T07:35:00.005-05:00

Here is the next step, the glue-up. You can see how the strips are now curved into shape from the steam bending process. Now Guy rolls on the glue and then clamps them back into place in the same manner as the steam bend clamp-up. Each glue-up will make two rails for each of the two sleighs being refurbished.

Wood Steamer

2009-01-07T12:15:00.003-05:00

Here is the steamer Guy is using to saturate the strips.

Sled Runners

2009-01-07T07:57:00.003-05:00

Check out this cool curved lamination Guy in the workshop is working on. This is a process where the thin strips are steamed to make them more flexible. Then the stripes are held in place to dry. This piece will become the runners for a sled for a maple sap tank. I'll post more images as they progress.

Organic Farm

2009-01-06T13:52:00.001-05:00

It's been almost 6 years in the making from design concept sketches to the final nail... the Living Future Organic farm residence is complete. We've been taking photos like crazy for the past four months as spaces are furnished. The opening image on the blog is of the west elevation at sunset. We'll continue to add images here and on our main site as they are finished.

We'll also be adding information about the unique design and energy features of this project on this blog so, please check in regularly.

2009-01-06T10:47:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our blog. More to come.
For starters, here is a shot of the organic farm residence we recently completed.