Great homes tend to start with a clear intention. A clear purpose and objective; why am I doing this? What do I want to achieve – not just structurally, but personally?

Whether you are building for a good time, or building for a long time. If you’ve chosen to build with timber, there are timbers suited to both. One of our preferred timbers, the topic of this article, is locally grown Douglas-fir.

 Photos on this page are of the Fiordland Lodge in Te Anau whose owners chose Douglas-fir as one of their main building materials after staying in similar lodges in Alaska. Besides having the ‘wow’ factor and aesthetic qualities they were after, their builder recommended it for practical reasons – in particular its durability, and stability. We weren’t involved in the Fiordland Lodge in any way but really admire the design and construction – what a beauty!

Time is rarely discussed, yet it is a fundamental ingredient in any building project. The quality of the final result reflects not just the hours spent on construction, but a broader investment of time. This includes the years it takes to build the wealth necessary to afford quality building materials, the decades required to grow premium hardwoods, the time devoted to making decisions that ensure the building truly reflects one’s legacy, and the long journey of certain builders to master the craftsmanship needed to meet the high standards of discerning clients. In every sense, time invested is the foundation of enduring quality. 

Timber buildings – ranging from 1,400-year-old Buddhist temples in Japan, to 900-year-old stave churches in Norway and Sweden, to the many timber structures over 800 years old across Europe and beyond – are still standing today, attesting to the craftsmanship and cultures that built them. While most temples, churches and historical buildings of note have been destroyed or altered throughout history, the few that have endured continue to tell their stories. And in fact, the longer these structures survive, the more significant they become, as historical timber buildings become rarer with time.

Being able to tell a story through a home is a rare and meaningful gift. We often call these places legacy homes – homes that are not only enjoyed in the present but are built to last, to be passed down through generations. They store more than just physical value; they carry the memories, identity, and legacy of a family.

New Zealand’s Building Code in contrast only requires modern buildings to last 50 years. Which feels like a low bar, especially in an age of advanced materials and technology – and particularly when our ancestors were building timber structures that have stood for over 1,400 years (so far).