I should have asked our art editor to doctor my picture this week and superimpose a military cap, moustache and finger pointing straight to camera. Below we could have run the caption “Your Awards Need You”.
And, no, the Lord Kitchener-style appeal is not for this year’s TTJ Awards – although all support for these is, of course, most welcome – it’s for the Wood Awards. Following the withdrawal of the wood for good campaign from sponsorship, and recession-prompted cuts in contributions from other backers, the organisers fear they may not be able to secure the media profile achieved for the event in previous years. That would be a serious shame for the wider industry.
The Wood Awards recognise exceptional use of timber in architecture, interiors, restoration and now also furniture. And since their launch in 2003, as successor to the Carpenters Awards, they have done a tremendous job bringing home the creative and performance potential of timber to the building industry generally and architects and specifiers in particular.
Each year, the number of entries has climbed, reflecting the increasing regard in which the event is held. The quality of projects has risen too. That reflects the growing ambition with which timber is being used in construction and, while it’s impossible to prove, it seems likely the inspiration of previous winners has helped drive this as well.
A large part of the impact of the Awards has been down to the coverage they’ve had in the building press and the wide distribution of their own supplement detailing the winners and runners up. This has really got the message out, not just about the projects themselves, but also just what the modern timber industry can offer construction. It’s this exposure that looks most at threat from the sponsorship squeeze. Which is why any new funding would not just be an expression of faith in the Wood Awards, but investment in the future of timber in British building.
