Summary
• The Best Use of British Timber Award was introduced in 2005.
• The Forestry Commission is a key sponsor.
• This year’s winner was the Gridshell Roof over The Orangery.
• Many of the projects are open to the public.
In 2005 the annual Wood Awards rang the changes and added a special award to recognise those projects that demonstrated the Best Use of British Timber – previous winners were McCurdy & Co’s Pilton Barn in 2005 and, in 2006, the Green Oak Carpentry Co for projects such as the Savill Building in Windsor Great Park and Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.
Since its inception, like the umbrella event itself, the Best Use of British Timber award has grown in stature, with this year’s shortlist including no fewer than 12 projects. “The judges were spoilt for choice,” said Wood Awards organiser Michael Buckley. “We’ve seen British timber entries grow since the participation of the Forestry Commission as a sponsor,” he added.
The 12 shortlisted projects were drawn from across all the Wood Awards categories (Commercial & Public Access; Structural; Conservation & Restoration; Private; and Furniture), and this year’s winner was the Gridshell Roof over The Orangery at Chiddingstone Castle in Kent.
Designed by Peter Hulbert Chartered Architect and with joinery by Carpenter Oak & Woodland, the laths of the gridshell are made from locally sourced and processed coppice-grown, finger-jointed sweet chestnut. “The gridshell is small and delicate and holds the glazing with the lightest of touches,” said the judges, who went on to praise the project for its “good use of smaller diameter British timber, combined with engineering skill”.
Dairy House, a private residence in Somerset, also displays a lightness of touch – literally. The winner of the Private category, the Dairy House extension is reminiscent of log cabin construction, but with the gaps between the English oak planks filled with laminated glass blocks, the effect of which is particularly dramatic at night. The judges were inspired to comment: “if only we could all afford a weekend cottage like this in a beautiful setting with no expense spared on design or workmanship”.
Rather more heavyweight British timber was in evidence at other shortlisted projects. Craven Cruck Barn, an extension to the Craven Arms pub in Shropshire, for example, features chunky oak hewn from local woodlands and crafted by joiner Robert Aynesworth using methods that date back to the 15th century. And, over in Abbotsbury, in Dorset, a genuine 15th century article, The Abbey Barn, features local oak and English elm in its restoration – work which secured the project the Conservation & Restoration Award and which, according to the judges, has extended the life of the barn “indefinitely”.
Almost every set of rafters in the 272ft long barn needed to be repaired in accordance with its scheduled ancient monument status and all new timber was finished by builder and joiner J Layzell & Sons Ltd with a traditional wooden block plan to complement the original pit-sawn and/or adzed surface finish of the roof timbers.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the Wood Awards is that many of the projects are on full public view, with British timber showcased at a range of visitor and community centres and education facilities.
The multi-coloured RSPB Environment and Education Centre at Rainham Marshes in the Thames Gateway is clad with FSC-certified UK larch boards, the “fine sawn” finish of which can be read through the paint to increase its “natural” appearance. Jewson supplied the timber and the joinery was carried out by Haymills (Contractors) Ltd.
Also on the education front, ECOSpace at Lauder College, Dunfermline, which teaches environmental best practice in construction, wears its eco-credentials on its sleeve: the structural frame and external cladding are made from locally-supplied Douglas fir supplied by Carpenter Oak & Woodland.
On a smaller scale, there is Minstead Study Centre in the New Forest. Here the Green Oak Carpentry Co was charged with creating a facility that had the least possible physical impact on the site. The result is a building consisting of a locally-sourced green oak timber frame, married with New Forest Douglas fir purlins. Douglas fir weatherboarding and a roof of oak shakes complete the picture.
Forestry Commission Scotland-supplied Sitka spruce was the material of choice for the Logbarn at Milton Community Woodland in the Scottish Highlands. Here the timber was used in the round, with the timber frame incorporating scribed braces and posts and massive mortice and tenons fixed with large cleft oak pegs.
North Yorks Moors National Park Authority, owner of the Danby Lodge Moors Centre, also opted for locally sourced timber – this time, oak – in order to stay true to its environmental principles. “With the onset of global warming, wood needs to be used in place of steel and concrete as a matter of routine,” said a spokesperson, going on to say how “easy it is to replace a steel frame with a chunky hardwood frame if spans are designed for timber from the beginning”.
Other projects shortlisted for the Best Use of British Timber Award were: the conservation and reinstatement of the medieval doomboard/tympanum at St James Church, Dauntsey in Wiltshire; Jerwood Sculpture Park seating; and Accordia.
