Summary
• This year’s Wood Awards are open for entries.
• There are four new sub-categories in the furniture section.
• Last year’s furniture category winner has seen business boom.
• The Wood Awards were launched in 2003.

The organisers of The Wood Awards are inviting furniture designers, architects, and anyone involved with a building project using wood to enter what has become the premier awards scheme for the use of the world’s only naturally sustainable material.

Entries opened at the beginning of March, and the introduction of four new sub-categories in the furniture section is set to make 2009 a record year. These new sub-categories have been added to help develop and expand the furniture category, which is seen by organisers as a crucial element of the Wood Awards programme.

Launched in 2003, the Wood Awards have made their mark on the architectural and design world, becoming a mark of excellence in wood. The new sub-categories for furniture will allow greater recognition of craftsmanship and design in wood in a variety of furniture types, from single-piece bespoke furniture, to small batch and mass produced pieces for the commercial market.

The sub-categories are:
• single-piece domestic furniture;
• single-piece for a publicly accessible space;
• exterior furniture;
• production furniture (both small batch and mass produced).

2008 saw some exceptional entries, with The Sleeping Dragon, an outdoor piece designed by Alun Heslop of chaircreative, taking the top prize. This category has an impressive past, having helped to launch the careers of furniture designers and makers including Jason Heap, whose Infinity +1 was Highly Commended by the judges in 2007, and Katie Walker whose Ribbon Chair clinched the top prize in 2006.

High standard

“The standard of entries we receive for the Wood Awards is always incredibly high, and 2008 was no exception,” said Wood Awards organiser Michael Buckley. “With projects ranging from a Cope Chest made by Tim Jeffree to store ecclesiastical vestments in Tewkesbury Abbey, to the incredibly creative Sleeping Dragon, the judges were privileged to see the work of some highly skilled and passionate people. It is my hope that the introduction of these new sub-categories will encourage more of the UK’s finest furniture craftsmen to enter the Wood Awards which have helped to launch the careers of several emerging talents in the world of furniture.”

Since his win in 2008, Alun Heslop’s business, chaircreative (www.chaircreative.com), has gone from strength to strength. An interview on regional BBC News has fuelled interest in him and his furniture, resulting in commissions for clients as diverse as Hancocks Jewellers and Willmott Dixon construction in association with Breeze Landscape architects. Speaking of his success, Mr Heslop said: “I have been entering pieces in the Wood Awards for some time, being shortlisted in 2007 for the bench seating for the ‘Lightbox’ Gallery, Woking, Surrey, and was delighted to win in 2008. Since my success last year, I have had to move into a larger workshop to cope with the increased level of demand for my pieces, and have been busy working on new commissions and speculative pieces of sculpture and furniture.

“Having your work recognised by your peers is a huge thrill, and the prestige of winning a Wood Award is enormous. I would encourage any furniture designers and makers to enter – the benefits of association with the Wood Awards have been invaluable to me and my business.”

Sponsors

The list of Wood Awards sponsors includes many of the leading organisations involved in wood marketing and education in the UK, including The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the Carpenters’ Company and the Forestry Commission. The Wood Awards are also sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, for whom the introduction of the four furniture sub-categories is a welcome development.

The call for entries period is now open, and closes on May 22. Entry forms and full terms and conditions for entry can be found at www.woodawards.com.