Some long iron is needed for structural integrity and strength and some steel is for aesthetic. On this project, it was both. The homeowner is the designer and wanted to expose some of the structural elements to incorporate them into the design. This was not without challenges as we had to crane in literally thousands of pounds of ibeam, under a soffit, and through an exact perforation in the wall at one end in order to set the beams atop their posts.
Did I mention this was all I the rain,
And mud.
The results were fantastic though. Plumb, Square, Level, Perfect.