Wooden beams that for 157 years provided structural support within the stone walls of the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall have become part of a centerpiece project in The Lehigh Pub at the newly renovated building.
A group of four design students were recruited to build two tables for the pub using original beams removed from the UC during the renovation and lumber from trees cut down to make way for construction.
The wood contains traces of the Clayton UC’s history. One of the beams is a purlin beam, a large structural beam used in roof construction. The beam is 10 inches in diameter and has charring on it, though the source of the charring hasn’t been confirmed. The beams were also riddled with hand-cut nails. With the wood, students created a dining table for private events and a banquette table in the public portion of the pub.
