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Perichute III
This project consists of three distinctly separate arbors although the
arbors appear to be integrated. The central one is essentially the Morris
project "Perichute II" canopy with its otherwise open end attached
to the rear house wall. Added to this are two flat arbors: The one on the
right is free-standing. The other is attached to the house beneath the
roof-overhang.
Copyright Architectural Structure VA
1-283-884 USA
5/14/04
This design purposely limits the horizontal wings
from taking on the appearance of those flat-tiered
Stacks-of-sticks seen in the Critiques by contouring the supporting beams into what I call scroll-beams.
Note their wrap-around ends above the columns. This is a first in beam
configuration, as well as distinct engineering and construction feats.
The method of fabrication for
these arbors is the next-generation use of plastic materials -- to minimize the
maintenance and quadruple the longevity.
Here's a list of specifics:
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Solid 1˝ -inch thick polyethylene plastic has been used to clad the wooden circular and
scroll-beams on top, bottom and both sides.
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All the wooden elements, such as
structural-timbers, straight-beams and rafter-joists, have been topped with
continuous ⅛ -inch thick PVC capping. No wooden element has been left exposed from above.
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The columns have all been
prefabricated from
10-inch diameter PVC plastic sewer pipes, fitted
with PVC capitals and bases and decorated with double-ring
collars. These columns will never crack, get damaged or deteriorate.
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2x4 hollow rectangular PVC tubing with flush-capped ends has been used for
all the horizontal and radial lathwork.
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The entire skylight grid and its
round frame were made from solid polyethylene
PrimoPlank plastic.
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The curved pipes threaded through the rectangular tubing
are also PVC.
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The wooden rafters and joists were each elevated
above their supporting beams by a 1-inch solid-plastic spacer-block to
prevent standing water from rotting their area of contact.
This project pushed the envelope of feasibility way beyond what anyone
else has built so far. There are a few architects who can design projects
comparable to this, but they can't find any residential contractor who will
risk their contractor's license building it for an affordable price. And if
the architect were to involve a commercial builder who could do it, the
price would be triple that for residential construction. For residential
structures, we have the experience to build what we design, for an
affordable price, even if it
is for the very first time.
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