Timber framing on film
Are you interested in the technology of building half-timbered structures and do you want to get started yourself? Then you're at the right place! The MOT has a long history of documenting and passing on knowledge about half-timbered construction. We work together with experienced professionals who have completed a master-apprentice program with us. We also teach half-timbering to others. Since 2017 we have been offering a half-timbering internship for adults, where participants work on a real construction. Our internship was recognized as one of the inspiring examples for safeguarding intangible heritage in Flanders.
The interest in half-timberwork is clearly great and so is the demand for information. That is why the MOT decided to digitally register our own half-timbered construction projects. In this online guide we document on film step by step how half-timbered buildings are constructed in the traditional way, using only hand tools. This project is financially supported by the province of Flemish Brabant.
Timber framing step by step
Our half-timbered buildings
The MOT has already erected several half-timbered buildings: a bee hall, a winnowing barn, a nativity scene and a modern half-timbered workshop. Passing on knowledge about traditional construction techniques was always the starting point, at least as important as the result. The bee hall (2017) and the Wan-kot (2019) were built during a half-timbering internship. We built the nativity scene (2021) especially for this project, so that we could capture the entire process on film. The half-timbered workshop (built in 2022-2023) is a unique new building in which we combine contemporary and traditional, Western and Japanese techniques.
