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balloon-frame

balloon-frame
 n.— «These dwellings are called balloon frames because of the light feel and voluminous space created by the vertical studs that run from the ground to the roof line. A balloon-frame house is one in which the exterior timber frame constitutes the main structural component of the house. These barn-like buildings often were constructed in just days. Yet many of them still endure more than 120 years later.» —“Beautiful balloons” by Tom Corbett Sun-Times (Chicago) July 27, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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