Bilbao to host ninth Egurtek forum
6 October 2022On October 19-20, Bilbao Exhibition Centre will host the ninth edition of Egurtek, the International Forum on Architecture and Construction in Wood. The sector’s dynamism, and its growing importance in economic terms will be reflected in the event, which is now an unmissable date for professionals committed to sustainable construction.
On this occasion, the conference will further explore the field of forests and all their ancillary industry. The panel of speakers includes professionals from Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark, who will show their particular vision of wood construction.
They include the architects Laura Álvarez (Laura Álvarez Architecture), Lone Wiggers (CF Mollers Architects), Sheila Blanco and Iñaki de Prim (Blancodelprim Arquitectura Ecopasiva), Jonathan Tuckey (Jonathan Tuckey Design), Elisabeth Ábalo and Gonzalo Alonso (Estudio Ábalo-Alonso), Carlos Castanheira (Carlos Castanheira Architects), Iñaki Archanco (BOA Arquitectura Sostenible), Stefan Prins (Powerhouse Company) and Vittorio Salvadori (Cree Buildings).
The format of this meeting, registration for which is now open, will allow the attendees to interact directly with the speakers in dynamic debates in which the details of the buildings will be broken down.
In parallel, the attendees at Egurtek will find novel solutions and the latest trends in wood construction in the Expo Area. This area will bring together around 50 participating Spanish and foreign firms, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the sector. They will all offer products and services related to architecture, wood houses, treatments for wood, sustainable construction, journals, associations, engineering firms and decoration, wood for construction, structural software and importers of wood, elements and materials.
Wooden Innovation Technical Days will take place alongside the Expo Area. They are organised by Baskegur and will focus on four main themes: Application and dissemination of innovation to promote construction at height with wood in the SUDOE space (EGURALT Project); Building a sustainable nexus between rural and urban areas using innovative circular value chains in the wood construction sector; Creation of a network of forest-wood formation in the Basque Country; and a strategy for developing the circular forest bioeconomy in the Basque Country. The talks will begin with a brief presentation by the expert invitee and will conclude with a roundtable that will be open to debate.
Moreover, Egurtek 2022 will also host its 6th awards ceremony, which will honour the best works in six categories: The Special Local Wood-Basque Quality Award went to the project Casal Porta Trinitat, by Manuel Sanchez-Villanueva and Carol Beuter; The Special Bois/Egurra/Madera (BEM) Award was won by the work Last Chance For A Slow Dance, by Beñat Saratxaga and Gentzane Goikuria; The Construction Award went to Viviendas Sociales by Marta Peris and José Manuel Toral; in the Interior Design category, the architects Óscar Andrés and Iván Andrés won with their submission Casa Pris, and the Product Design Prize was won by Mesa Laga, by Silvia Ceñal. Lastly, in the Publication category, the prize was awarded to Archi, presented by the architect José María Marzo, and to the Aitim Magazine, presented by the architect José Enrique Peraza.
Since its creation in 2012, the Wood Architecture Awards has received around 100 high-quality projects each year and it has become one of the most prestigious awards in the sectors. The participant candidates’ panels will be displayed next to the event’s commercial area.
Egurtek is organised by the Bilbao Exhibition Centre and is sponsored by the Basque government Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, in collaboration with Baskegur- the Basque Wood Association, the Basque-Navarre Official College of Architects and Department of Communication.
