Housing
Examples
and descriptions of some of the types of accommodation that you might
find around Hapsburg. Some, such as Flets and Shelters, are
little more than occasional accommodation for seasonal workers -
they need frequent maintenance work if they are to stay usable.
Cabins, Huts and Houses are permanent structures, although they
too need regular maintenance to keep them in top condition .
Most buildings around Hapsburg and made from wood, although some
of the large buildings are stone (or part stone) construction. I
have added links below the descriptions that lead to example
images of that type of building.
Flets
A very simple wooden tree
platform, often with a twig or stick roof, which allows you to sleep off of the
ground with some protection from the elements. A simplification of an
old-standing elven practice, Flets around Hapsburg have normally been built by
hunters, rangers or druids who have traveled deep into the forest. They rare
built from fallen branches are lashed together to make a secure
platform. Flets come in different shapes and sizes, and can accommodate
anywhere between 3 and seven people. It is considered to be ‘good practice’ to
do a bit of maintenance work, such as dragging up a few extra branches for
roofing or making sure the floor beams are secure before you leave.
http://spkbuild.co.uk/images/tree_house.jpg
http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/als_art/web/treehouse.JPG
http://www.blogsilog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/wooden-tree-house.jpg
Shelters
Shelters
are found it the hills and are temporary accommodation for shepherds. A light
wooden lean-to is built against a rock face, which is and the frame filled
whatever sticks and grasses are close to hand. One end is closed off by
infilling while the other is often closed with a leather blanket. The same
shelters are used year after year and are gradually strengthened and
reinforced, so becoming sturdier over the years Although simple they can be
surprisingly warm and water proof - especially when heated by a small open fire
built close to the doorway. These shelters are generally about six feet
wide and ten feet long.
http://bsatroop123jenks.com/images/fig5-9.gif
http://rk19-bielefeld-mitte.de/survival/FM/_graphics/fig05-11.gif
Cabins
A
single room, often 10’ by 10’, building made from tree trunks. The trees are
cut and the trunks trimmed, then laid length ways on top of each other to make
walls. The ends of the logs are notched, so that logs overlap in the corners
and give the structure strength and rigidity. Split logs are used to make a
simple roof. Cracks in the walls and roof are caulked with mosses to help make
the building wind and waterproof. A single doorway is cut into one side of the
cabin with a small window high in the opposite wall. The packed earth floor is
generally covered in stamped down wood chippings. Often found in the
forests they make temporary accommodation for trappers and hunters. Having said
that, temporary might mean up to six months for some trappers.
http://desertislands.org/images/SMold_log_cabin_JB.jpg
http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/worksheets/coloring/images/log_cabin.gif
Huts
Huts
are generally round, with a diameter of about 15 feet, and are
built on a stone reinforced foundation. A circular trench
is dug out and refilled with packed stone and rubble. Eight
or ten strong uprights are set securely in the base to form a
wall structure and support for the conical roof. Between the
supports smaller poles add shape and depth to the walls and roof,
thinner pliable branches are worked around between the poles and a
light sleeping platform (or two) as constructed to separate the roof
space from the main hut. Once the horizontals are in, the roof is
thatched with reeds and the sides caked with a thick layer of sticky
mud. As the mud dries it forms a fairly solid wall which can be
over-painted to add color and help with waterproofing. The packed
mud floor is normally covered with woven reed carpets, while light and
ventilation comes from tiny windows built into the wall of the house,
right up underneath the eves. Huts are generally fitted with a
light wooden door and can be found on the outskirts of the village,
where they are primarily the homes of laborers and other poorly skilled
workers.
http://www.theroundhouse.org/resources/other/mellor.jpg
Houses
Most
houses are built of wooden planks fixed to a wooden framework, and have a roof
thatched with reeds. A small house will normally have two 10x10 rooms on the
ground floor with two smaller rooms in the attic - while a medium sized house
might have an upper storey (two more 10x10 rooms) or a lean-to extension added
on one side. Large houses will have both the upper story and a lean-to, while a
few houses have more than one lean-to extension. Some, although not all, houses
have a storage cellar dug below the house (although the cellar is invariably
much smaller than the house itself). Houses with lean-tos are often built
by craftsmen who use the lean-to as a work shop. The lean-to is built to the
same quality as the rest of the house.
http://www.bemerton-history.org.uk/rchm.jpg
Stone
Buildings
Stone building come in different shapes and sizes and are
nearly all individual in their design. Stone building are normally built as
part of a military or community program – and that is equally true in Hapsburg.
Stone Building here include The Squires Keep and Charbon’s Tower which were both
originally military. The Temple of the Shrines and the Smelting House were both
built as semi-community projects, even though they are ‘owned’ by individuals
or organizations rather than the community. Exceptions to the rule are
The Hapsburg Inn and The Smithy - both of which are part stone, part
timber.