We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Wood Design & Building Awards. In a process that protects the architect names to eliminate bias, our jurors review every entry (this year, almost 150 projects) and rate them independently; once all reviews are complete, those which are highest rated by at least one juror are discussed among the three architects during a full day of final evaluations. This year, our esteemed jurors – all well versed in working with wood – debated some of the practical details and design challenges that the various projects represented, either well or otherwise. Aesthetics, process and practicality are considered, along with innovation and overall execution.
Each year, many familiar names enter the fray; among those projects that were considered in this session, some of the world’s most famous architects were side-by-side with new and often obscure firms. A combination of design mastery, originality and unique detail consistently distinguished the jurors’ favorites, although they found it difficult to eliminate many of those which didn’t make it onto this list. At the end of the session, they were confident in their choices. The jurors had these comments to share:
“I was impressed and struck by the high quality of the entries in this field, with the international contingent certainly holding up well. The width and breadth of the quality of the submissions, both internationally and across North America, holds well for where we are with wood design. The future looks extraordinary for wood. Spectacular, inspiring – wood is good!”
— Russell Acton, principal at Acton Ostry Architects (designers of Brock Commons Tallwood House, winner of many awards, including the inaugural International Prize for Wood Architecture in 2018)
“It was great to see a variety of building types in the submissions, and across those we can see the different kinds of challenges that the architects and teams are confronting as they try to bring large-scale or mass timber use into these different building types. I think people respond well to wood buildings simply because of the warmth and that natural connection, but a lot of these projects found ways to extend that even further, to take advantage of the properties, and the aging and changing of wood over time, to let an element of time enter the buildings inventively. I think it’s very exciting that there continue to be new ways to think about this material that seems so familiar.” — Samuel Lasky, principal at William Rawn Associates, Architects (a firm with 50 award-winning projects, including the Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, which won two AIA National Honor awards)
“The range of scale and in uses of wood, whether it’s being used structurally, whether it’s the envelope – the exploration of different ways wood is used whether it’s shingle, wood siding, panelized – there are lots of interesting variations. And then, the meticulousness of detailing, whether it’s fairly complicated, exotic detailing or whether it’s very elemental, simple, straightforward detailing – there’s a really interesting set of clever solutions and there are some really exquisite examples of the use of wood. But I think beyond the use of wood, the caliber of entries in this awards program is unusually high – and it usually is. It’s been a pleasure to look at this wonderful work – it’s just really high-level architecture, and it’s also very elegant and inventive use of wood.” — Laura Hartman, principal at Fernau + Hartman Architects (founded in 1980 and winners of many wood awards, with an interest in sustainable design since its earliest projects)
Special awards also were granted by the Canadian Wood Council and the event sponsors, Western Red Cedar, SFI and Sansin. In partnership with the Canadian Wood Council, we would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2019 Wood Design & Building Awards program, with special thanks to our three jurors. Congratulations to the winners!
Jurors
Laura Hartman
Principal
Fernau + Hartman Architects
Russell Acton
Principal
Acton Ostry Architects
Samuel Lasky
Principal
William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.
NORTH AMERICAN
HONOR
Adohi Hall, University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
Leers Weinzapfel Associates with modus studio, Mackey Mitchell Architects and OLIN
Trades Training Centre, Northern Lights College
Dawson Creek, BC
McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd.
Prospect/Refuge 3
Margaree Forks, NS
Group of students from Dalhousie University, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, led by Talbot Sweetapple of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd.
Mirror Point Cottage
Annapolis Royal, NS
MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd.
MERIT
Capilano Library
Edmonton, AB
Patkau Architects with Group2
Kiht’han
Sagaponack, NY
Bates Masi + Architects
Sagg Farm
Sagaponack, NY
Bates Masi + Architects
Upper Skeena Recreation Centre
Hazelton, BC
Hemsworth Architecture
Wilson School of Design, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Richmond, BC
KPMB Architects with PUBLIC Architecture + Communication
Wuehrer House
East Hampton, NY
Jerome Engelking
CITATION
80 Atlantic
Toronto, ON
Quadrangle
Alexander Court
Washington, DC
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects with FOX Architects
Forest Hill Pavilion
Toronto, ON
Amantea Architects
Lewis & Clark College Pedestrian Bridge
Portland, OR
Minarik Architecture
Redfox Commons
Portland, OR
Lever Architecture
Rocky Ridge Boardwalk
Calgary, AB
GEC Architecture
INTERNATIONAL
HONOR
The Modular Unit (MU50)
Izmir, Turkey
Teke Architects Office
Wooden Roof
London, UK
Tsuruta Architects
MERIT
Trumpf Day-Care Center
Ditzigen, Germany
Barkow Leibinger
CITATION
Woody – Office Building for Santé publique France, Saint-Maurice, France, Atelier du Pont
Saint-Maurice, France
Atelier de Pont
Canadian Wood Council Awards
Banff Elementary School
Banff, AB
GEC Architecture
Bigwin Island Club Cabins
Baysville, ON
MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd.
Boundary Bay Fire Hall & Training Centre
Delta, BC
Johnston Davidson Architecture
North Surrey Sports & Ice Complex
Surrey, BC
Francl Architecture
Red Deer College Student Residence
Red Deer, AB
Manasc Isaac Architects
Sustainable Forestry Initiative – Sponsorship Awards
Tsleil Waututh Administration and Health Centre
North Vancouver, BC
Lubor Trubka Associates Architects
Upper Skeena Recreation Centre
Hazelton, BC
Hemsworth Architecture
Western Red Cedar – Sponsorship Award
ADK Camp
Horicon, NY
Birdseye
Sansin – Sponsorship Award
Tsleil Waututh Administration and Health Centre
North Vancouver, BC
Lubor Trubka Associates Architects
