Winners announced for NZ Wood Resene Timber Design Awards

Winners announced for NZ Wood Resene Timber Design Awards

A record number of entries were received for the 40th NZ Wood Resene Timber Design Awards says Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association (WPMA) Promotions Manager Debbie Fergie. Winners were announced at a gala function on September 15th.

Entrants competed within eight categories covering residential and commercial architectural excellence, innovation and novel applications of wood.

“Timber is a renewable resource providing whole-of-life credibility,” she explains. “There are now so many exciting ways it’s being used – it’s visually inspiring and can be incredibly strong and flexible at the same time.

“Timber buildings are rapidly constructed and seismically stable and, at approx. 50 percent of the total mass of concrete and steel for equivalent strength, provide especially compelling arguments for building on unstable or friable soils.”

Winner of the Residential Architectural Excellence Award, sponsored by Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts, was the Maniatutu Road Residence in Pongakawa, Bay of Plenty. The architect was Brian White of Edwards White Architects Ltd, Hamilton. Judges said this is “a truly excellent example of architecture.”

The Commercial Architectural Excellence Award, sponsored by Timberlab Solutions, went to the Waiheke Island Community Library in Auckland. The architect was Phillip Howard of Pacific Environments NZ Ltd of Auckland, who took his inspiration from the grove of pohutukawa trees on the site.

The Engineering Innovation Award, sponsored by the Timber Design Society, delivered joint winners. One award went to Wynn Williams House in Christchurch Central, designed by Grant Wilkinson of Ruamoko Solutions Ltd also of Christchurch, with the other the Trimble Navigation office in Christchurch Central, designed by Andrew Brown of Opus International. Both buildings use post-tensioned timber framing and feature many seismic safety innovations.

The Excellence in Engineered Wood Products Award was sponsored by Nelson Pine Industries and Xlam NZ. It was won by the Upper Queen Street Generation 3 & 4 timber buildings in Richmond, Nelson, by Andrew Irving of Irving Smith Jack Architects in Nelson. Judges felt these highlighted both the structural and aesthetic strengths of engineered wood products.

The Kashiwa house in Nelson won the Interior Innovation Award, sponsored by Southern Pine Products. Designed by David Wallace of Arthouse Architects Ltd, the interior marries modern technology with traditional timbers and what judges describe as “a superb level of craftsmanship.”

The Exterior Innovation and Infrastructure Award was sponsored by Jenkin Timber and won by Mark Southcombe of Southcombe Architects. Perforated plywood “depth of shadow” sunscreens suggest the dappled light under a tree.

The NZ Indigenous and Specialty Timber Award was sponsored by the NZ Farm Forestry Association and won by the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park Pavilions in Wellington. Architect Phil Mark of Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture delivered what judges called a “profound and moving contribution to this place of national significance.”

SCION sponsored the Novel Application of Timber Award, which went to the Beach Barn in Brighton, Christchurch designed by Dan Tremewan of Welhaus Ltd. This structure uses a range of wood products to deliver a sustainable, energy efficient building for a realistic price.

The Resene Overall Winner was the Waiheke Island Community Library, which was a “lyrical response to a timber library building, and a robust structural statement” according to the judges.

Highly commended was the Trimble Navigation office, which judges said displays and educates about the several new damage avoidance technologies employed.

The Timber Design Awards are now in their 40th year and showcase wood’s ability to both complement architectural design and provide structural integrity to residential, commercial and public properties.

NZ Wood-Resene brings Timber Design Award winners to regions

The 40th NZ Wood-Resene Timber Design Awards are a prestigious event in every wood professional’s calendar. This year, category and overall winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in Auckland on September 15th. Wellington, Christchurch and Nelson residents will have the opportunity to see finalists and winners for themselves later the same week.

“Wood’s rapid uptake globally can be attributed at least in part to our world leading research and innovation, which is creating safe construction techniques for modern timber structures in commercial, industrial and residential projects alike,” says President of the Timber Design Society and current Awards judge Daniel Scheibmair, ME(Hons), CPEng, IntPE, MIPENZ.

If you’d like to attend either the awards ceremony in Auckland or one of the roadshows, reserve your place at http://www.nzwood.co.nz/timber-design-awards/

Roadshows are free for attendees.

‘Wood First’ Inaugural Award

Rotorua Lakes Council Mayor Steve Chadwick was awarded the inaugural “Wood First” Award for her leadership role in making the district the first in New Zealand to implement a ‘wood first’ policy that facilitates and encourages the use of wood as a preferred and sustainable product.

The wood industry contributes an estimated nine percent of Rotorua's GDP and is the largest direct employer in the area. 40 percent of all wood harvested nationally comes from within a 100km radius of the city.

“The council joins countries like Canada, France and Japan, which all have similar enlightened policies to promote wood as the most sustainable construction material,” said WPMA Chair Brian Stanley when presenting the award.

ENDS

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