Arch House: A Different Way to Build

By Gregg Carlsen
Published on September 1, 1989
1 / 14

Without the generous help of family and friends, this owner-builder project would not have been possible.
Without the generous help of family and friends, this owner-builder project would not have been possible.
2 / 14

Continous, curved trusses (31 of them in the Carlsen Archome) transfer roof-wall loads to oversized top plates, making a barrel-vault structure one of the sturdiest shapes known.
Continous, curved trusses (31 of them in the Carlsen Archome) transfer roof-wall loads to oversized top plates, making a barrel-vault structure one of the sturdiest shapes known.
3 / 14

Eastern and southern exposures of this hybrid design are generously glazed, while the west and north are earth-bermed.
Eastern and southern exposures of this hybrid design are generously glazed, while the west and north are earth-bermed.
4 / 14

First Floor: The entry provides access to both the main living areas and the isolated office space above.
First Floor: The entry provides access to both the main living areas and the isolated office space above.
5 / 14

Third Floor: The stairway continues to the third-floor balcony, which overlooks the kitchen-dining area.
Third Floor: The stairway continues to the third-floor balcony, which overlooks the kitchen-dining area.
6 / 14

A 90-year-old, moldering farmhouse was home to the Carlsens during the three years of construction.
A 90-year-old, moldering farmhouse was home to the Carlsens during the three years of construction.
7 / 14

Second Floor: An open U-shaped stairway leads to the three second-floor bedrooms, the baths and a laundry area.
Second Floor: An open U-shaped stairway leads to the three second-floor bedrooms, the baths and a laundry area.
8 / 14

Truss parts were cut with circular saws and jigs.
Truss parts were cut with circular saws and jigs.
9 / 14

Pieces were laminated, glued and stapled.
Pieces were laminated, glued and stapled.
10 / 14

Sheathing conformed easily to the gentle curve of the main roof.
Sheathing conformed easily to the gentle curve of the main roof.
11 / 14

A crane eased the raising of the 500-pound trusses. The east end gable was framed on the ground.
A crane eased the raising of the 500-pound trusses. The east end gable was framed on the ground.
12 / 14

Carlsen and his carpenter friends took particular pleasure in the finish work.
Carlsen and his carpenter friends took particular pleasure in the finish work.
13 / 14

Zachary Carlsen pitches in.
Zachary Carlsen pitches in.
14 / 14

Because the roof is self-supporting, partitions can be placed at whim.
Because the roof is self-supporting, partitions can be placed at whim.

People who have survived the building of their own homes often compare the experience to bearing and raising a child. There is the conception: A dream takes seed, planning begins. Next comes gestation: visible growth, a leap off the paper and into the soil. At birth, perhaps analogous to being “dried in,” the house takes on a life of its own, autonomous but far from complete. Later, often much later for the owner-builder, there’s the finished product–nurtured to capable, comfortable maturity.

But why such an odd-looking child–a house that looks like a mailbox, a loaf of bread, a pioneer wagon?

The notion for a barrel-vault structure (the accepted architectural handle for the “arch house” shape) came not from hoops and loops or my previous work with geodesic domes but from a rather unlikely source: Back in 1981, I noticed a classified ad offering (for an unheard-of low price) thousands of old 2 × 12s salvaged from dismantled bleachers. The catch was that they were only 6′ long–too short for conventional roofs, floors or walls. At first I toyed with the possibility of laminating the short boards into straight beams. But if I was going to the trouble to laminate, why not make curved beams?

I didn’t end up buying the old bleachers, but I did acquire a curiosity about arched structures built of segmented materials. During the six years of planning that followed, it became clear that plywood held many advantages over dimensional lumber. It was easier to handle, cut and fasten; it was extremely uniform and predictable; and it was readily available. With that settled, I knew how I wanted to build the trusses, and I knew intuitively such trusses would be wondrously strong. But I also knew that building inspectors and banks gave little credence to intuition. Doodling and research continued.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368