2023 Annual Conference

Steve Lawrence

Timber Framers Guild, Community Building Projects Program Director

I have been timber framing since 1990 with Carpenter Oak and Woodland Co. in the UK. Moving to Canada in 2005, I founded and operated Macdonald & Lawrence Timber Framing. I now work freelance as a part-time contractor, consultant, and project manager and am based on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I joined the Guild in the late 90s and have been a member ever since and a semi-regular Community Building Projects participant. I was a director of the Guild from 2015 to 2022, mostly as treasurer, and am now proud to be Community Building Projects Program Director and running the Community Building Program with the help of many others.

Presentation

Let the Crane Take the Strain
As a conservator of traditional wood buildings and other artifacts, from Windsor Castle in the UK to Fort McMurray, Alberta, Steve Lawrence has specified, designed, and implemented the conservation and rehabilitation of hundreds of historic buildings and artifacts. In this session, attendees will learn about a broad range of skills and techniques necessary to enhance the safety and productivity of you or your crew when working with cranes.

TFG Community Builds
A discussion of the development and execution of the TFG Community Building Projects Program. What are Community Building Projects and how do they happen? How is the Guild delivering on its mission through these projects? How can members and friends of the Guild develop a Community Building Project and bring it to life? This session will feature a lively discussion regarding this essential Guild program, with a focus on interesting recent projects.

The Forces at Work in a Truss
Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A centered on a working understanding of trusses, why it is important for a timber framer to have that understanding, and how these lessons can be applied to understanding other structural components. The panel will be made up of working timber framers and timber frame engineers.