Pool’s winner in Wood Awards

The building at the exclusive London club, designed by David Morley Architects, also won the Structural category.

Opening the awards ceremony at the Carpenters' Hall in London, Loyd Grossman, chairman of the Heritage Alliance and a freeman of the Carpenters' Company, said wood was important to the UK's history and culture, and its sustainable future.

"Wood is the most truly beautiful and sustainable material," he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Canadian high commissioner Gordon Campbell who had a clear, concise message for the 200-strong audience: "Wood is good," he said.

"Wood is not only the most environmentally-sound material, it is warm and hospitable. From flooring, to roofs and furniture, it is something that speaks to people," he said.

Wood's design flexibility made it the building material for the future, and the Wood Awards showed what timber could do, said Mr Campbell.

Judges chairman Michael Morrison, a senior partner at Purcell UK, hailed the "intelligent solutions" and "enormous craftsmanship" of the Wood Awards entries.

The other Wood Awards 2012 winners are: Commercial & Public Access: Stowe Gardens Visitor Centre, Buckinghamshire by Cowper Griffith Architects; Private: East London House, London by David Mikhail Architects; Repair & Adaptive Reuse: Feering Bury Farm Barn, Essex by Hudson Architects: Small Project: Anne Boleyn's Gateway, Hampton Court Palace by McCurdy & Co.

The Production Made Furniture Award was won by Namon Gaston Design's Wu Bench, and Rupert McBain's Extending Oak Table took the Bespoke Furniture Award.

AL_A's Timber Wave, the American red oak installation created by Cowley Timberwork and engineered by Arup for the V&A entrance for the 2011 London Design Festival, received the Wood Awards Judges' Special Commendation.

For full pictorial coverage of the Wood Awards 2012, see the December 8/15 issue of TTJ.