The Kodiak Olive
From Timberbuilt
We’ve built more Olives -- like this one in Kodiak, Alaska -- than any other timber frame home. The Olive can function as a single bedroom retirement home with no basement and a small upstairs loft. Add a finished basement and it becomes a vacation home with room for guests. Add a bedroom or two on the second floor and the home works wonders as a two or three bedroom primary residence.
As we’ve progressed through different evolutions of this design we’ve learned where we can push and pull space without sacrificing aesthetics or liveability. We’ve built versions of this home all over the country and we’ve honed each to meet stringent engineering codes — the Olive is suitable for extremes in any climate across North America.
The great room in the center is framed by a large four-post timber bent with two parallel chord trusses running the length of the room to the large big-view wall. Two braced timber trusses (topped by purlins) carry the roof between the bent and the outside wall. Purlins frame the loft from the bent to the front wall.
Master suites can include either a ridge and rafter system or small trusses. The kitchen (and dining room) typically features a ridge and rafter system in the front entry design. Side entry olives include trusses over the kitchen and exposed joists in the dining room (which sits under the loft).
The second floor loft (open to below) can be modified to include up to two bedrooms and two small bathrooms. Or a single bedroom can be placed on either side of the great room depending on where you’d rather have your cathedral ceiling below.
This timber frame’s exterior is loaded with options. The highpoint of the home, outside the great room, is typically accented with a braced truss or rafter system. Hand crafted timber accents surround the rest of the outside. A combination of shed and gable roofs adds interest all around.
Porch placement and size are flexible — as are their framing options.
Like all of our homes, this timber frame is built using high efficiency SIPs for the walls and roof making it earth-friendly and comfortable inside. The overall aesthetic is dependent on finishing choices, but can range from traditional to contemporary.