Houston Elementary
Library Tree and Casework
Houston Elementary needed a signature tree for the kids’ space plus full casework throughout. The design showed up half-built. The Houston Elementary millwork was ours to engineer.
CLIENT:
Project Size:
Timeline:
General Contractor:
The two-story feature tree, cut on the CNC in Manor and installed on site.
Scope: feature tree, curved oak oval windows, reception desk, casework throughout.
The build at a glance
♦ What we did
The centerpiece is a sculptural tree with a circular bench wrapping its base, cubbies built into the seat. Every piece was cut on the CNC in our Manor shop, then assembled by our specialty crew. Beyond the tree, Travis built the curved oval feature windows, the front reception desk, and the box casework throughout the school, the bread and butter of a campus this size.
The oval windows were their own build. Spec’d as hardwood, which meant no shortcuts. The entire curved perimeter is solid white oak, not the usual bent board with veneer, so the crew milled wide stock to hold the radius and set the 3form glass panels in place.
♦ The Challenges
The tree arrived under-designed and Travis engineered it to work. The original spec called for half-inch material, too thin to stay stable and it would have forced a biscuit joint at every piece. Our team switched to inch-and-a-half stock, doubling up three-quarter material so the seams could stagger and the whole structure gained strength. The drawings also had no ceiling connection detail, so Travis designed the hanger system: a Unistrut grid hung on all-thread, with an L-bracket and through-bolt at the top of each branch to catch them at their different angles. Design intent in, engineered reality out.
Before being built in the shop.
After installation at Houston Elementary.
Have a space that needs
this kind of work?
Have a school package with a showpiece in the middle of it? That’s our forte. Call Travis Millwork.
General Contractor: Rogers-O’Brien. Owner: Austin ISD. Built in Manor, Texas. Installed at Houston Elementary, Austin.
San Antonio
(210) 525-8088
Austin
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235 W Turbo Dr, San Antonio