Six of the 21 projects short-listed for The Wood Awards feature American hardwood species.
Four of the projects are in the commercial and public access category. Haberdashers’ Hall and The Women’s Library both use American white oak while Faith House combines American oak with western red cedar and birch plywood and the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall, which has just won a regional RIBA award, contrasts American ash with green oak and other species.
In the private category, solid American white oak with sycamore and maple was used at the New Pavilion at New Maltings, Suffolk. American white oak was also used for the complex roof structure at Hounslow East underground station, an entry in the structural category.
David Venables, European director of the American Hardwood Export Council which is a sponsor of the awards, said: “Yet again American hardwoods have featured strongly in these awards, following a long tradition of winners in the past including Portcullis House and the Queens Building in Cambridge – both by Hopkins.
“It is good to see so many architects specifying hardwood,” he said.
