Making a splash

David Morley Architects' Hurlingham Club outdoor pool scooped the top award in this year's hotly contested Wood Awards competition.

The Hurlingham Club outdoor pool first saw off competition of an exceptionally high standard to win the Structural category, before being crowned the winner of winners in front of over 200 leading industry and architectural figures at a ceremony at the Carpenters' Hall in the City of London on November 27.

The Hurlingham Club is recognised worldwide as one of Britain's greatest quintessentially English private members' clubs.

"The Wood Awards truly celebrates innovative design and craftsmanship, and the Hurlingham Club outdoor pool is without doubt a worthy winner," said chairman of the judges Michael Morrison of Purcell UK. "We were presented with a wholehearted complete package. The careful analysis of what was loved about the old changing room pavilion was sympathetic and the recreation and integration of all the elements which mattered were carefully considered and achieved with great craftsmanship. Delightful."

Wood Awards structural judge Andrew Lawrence of Arup also praised the Hurlingham Club outdoor pool's innovative timber structural solution. "With its even front and repeating rhythm, the building is excellently resolved to make a special place," he said. "It is not only intelligent, but is as lovely as the images lead you to believe."

The other Wood Awards 2012 winners are Stowe Gardens Visitor Centre in Buckinghamshire by Cowper Griffith Architects for the Commercial & Public Access Award; East London House in London by David Mikhail Architects for the Private Award; the eclectic Feering Bury Farm Barn in Essex by Hudson Architects for the Repair & Adaptive Reuse Award, and Anne Boleyn's Gateway at Hampton Court Palace by McCurdy & Co for the Small Project Award. The Production Made Furniture Award was won by Namon Gaston Design's 'Wu Bench', and Rupert McBain's future antique 'Extending Oak Table' took the Bespoke Furniture Award.

AL_A's Timber Wave, a temporary installation of a 12m-high American red oak three-dimensional latticework spiral by Cowley Timberwork and engineered by Arup, created for the V&A entrance for the 2011 London Design Festival, was awarded the Wood Awards Judges' Special Commendation.

The Wood Awards is made possible by the support of its sponsors. Canada Wood, the joint initiative between the Canadian government and timber industry association partners representing producers in Canada, and the timber industry's sustainability and promotion campaign Wood for Good have this year become lead sponsors, alongside long-standing supporters the American Hardwood Export Council and the Carpenters' Company. Other sponsors include TRADA and American Softwoods, with support from BRE.

Gold & Structural
The Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool
Architect: David Morley Architects
Structural engineer: Scott White and Hookins/Price & Myers
Structures installer: B&K Structures
Main contractor/builder: B&K Building Services
Specialist fabricator: Commercial Systems Int Ltd
Species: OSB3, spruce plywood, birch plywood, Siberian larch

Private
East London House
Architect: David Mikhail Architects
Structural engineer: Heyne Tillett Steel
Main contractor/builder & joinery: Eurobuild Contractors Ltd
Wood supplier: Metsä Wood
Species: larch glulam, Siberian larch

Production-made furniture
Wu Bench
Designer: Namon Gaston Design
Maker/manufacturer: Alasdair Campbell
Wood supplier: John Boddy Timber Ltd
Species: European oak

Judges' Special Commendation
Timber Wave
Architect: AL_A
Structural engineer: Arup
Manufacturer/builder: Cowley Timberwork
Wood supplier: AHEC members
Species: American red oak

Commercial & Public Access
Stowe Gardens Visitor Centre
Architect: Cowper Griffith Architects
Structural engineer: Ramboll UK
Main contractor/builder: ISG plc
Joinery: Carpenter Oak & Woodland
Wood supplier: Ashridge Estate
Species: English larch, European oak, southern yellow pine

Small Project
Anne Boleyn's Gateway
Architect: Hudson Architects
Structural engineer: The Morton Partnership
Main contractor/builder: NS Restorations
Species: English, French and eastern European oak, English oak and alder, Latvian birch plywood

Bespoke furniture
Extending oak table
Designer: Rupert McBain
Manufacturer: Wynn Bishop, Rupert McBain Furniture
Wood supplier: Whitmore's Timber
Species: French oak

Repair & Adaptive Reuse
Feering Bury Farm Barn
Architect: Hudson Architects
Structural engineer: The Morton Partnership
Main contractor/ builder: NS Restorations
Species: English, French and eastern European oak, English oak and alder, Latvian birch plywood