From the simple lines of a functional chair to vast, sturdy glulam beams and 16m of intricate and integrated landscape furniture in Latvian birch plywood, this year’s Wood Awards shortlist features everything that can be imagined and conceived in timber.

The shortlist of 30, whittled down from 318 projects, features unique private houses, stunning small projects, outstanding restorations, impressive public buildings and clever and appealing bespoke and productionmade furniture, ranging from the traditional to the cutting edge.

"The diversity of this year’s entries demonstrates the range of flexibility and problem-solving that timber brings," said judges’ chairman Michael Morrison of Purcell UK. "This is exciting to see, and the quality of entries this year has made the selection of the shortlist particularly difficult."

David Hopkins, head of communications and external affairs for sponsor Wood for Good, said this year’s entries illustrated the impact the timber industry was having on urban architecture throughout the UK.

"Timber is carving itself an ever larger niche in the construction market and one factor which is repeated throughout the entries is sustainability. Timber is finally being recognised as a solution to achieving affordable, low-carbon urban development goals," he said.

The Wood Awards shortlist will be showcased for the first time at 100% Design, at Earls Court, London from September 18-21, and at Timber Expo at the NEC in Birmingham from September 24-25.

The judges, led by Michael Morrison, and Sean Sutcliffe of Benchmark Furniture, will visit the shortlisted projects over the coming weeks, and the winners – including that of the coveted Gold Award – will be announced on November 19 at Carpenters’ Hall in London.

The major sponsors of the Wood Awards are AHEC, Canada Wood, the Carpenters’ Company, TRADA and Wood for Good.

Other sponsors include American Softwoods, BRE and the Forestry Commission.

1. Commercial & Public Access
Bishop Edward King Chapel, Oxford
Architect: Niall McLaughlin Architects
Joinery: D Smith Joinery
Wood supplier: Cowley Timberwork
Species: European oak; American ash; spruce glulam

2. Structural
Abraham Darby Sports & Learning Community, Telford
Architect: BDP
Timber supplier: Hess Timber
Species: European spruce glulam; European larch glulam; European spruce CLT; Canadian western red cedar
PHOTO: DAVID BARBOUR

3. Private
Rigg Beck, Cumbria
Architect: Knox Bhavan Architects
Joinery: Kentside Joinery
Species: European oak; French oak; Siberian larch; American black walnut
PHOTO: CHARLES HOSEA

4. Production-made furniture
HAN
Designer: Gabbertas Studio
Timber supplier: Zala Forestry/Zalaerdo Rt
Species: Available in Hungarian oak, Beech and Walnut
PHOTO: CHARLES HOSEA

5. Small Project
Expandable Surface System, London Architectural Association
Species: Birch plywood

6. Bespoke furniture
Ripples
Designer: EJ Bespoke Furniture
Species: Ash; American black walnut; Cedar of Lebanon

7. Repair & Adaptive Reuse
Magheralin Parish Church, Craigavon,Northern Ireland
Architect: Waddington-McClure Architects
Joinery: Timbermark
Species: American white oak