It is very pleasing to see the number of entries for the Wood Awardscompetition this year – an increase to 348 category entries from 160 in 2010.
To have more than doubled the number of entries of such high quality and diversity is a credit to everyone in the industry which provides us with such an aesthetic and versatile material. This has made what is probably the most difficult part of the whole award process for the judges – the compiling of the shortlist – even harder.
One or two projects always stand out and reach the shortlist by general agreement of all the judges, but there is always an interesting diversity of opinion, and this year a great deal of vigorous discussion over the merits of many of the entries.
Probably every judge leaves the shortlisting day regretting that one of their particular favourites didn’t make it, but this is inevitable when there are the numbers of entries and of such high quality.
I believe it is in the nature of people in creative industries to be curious about the work of colleagues and competitors. There is always something to learn in looking at how other people have selected the timber, how it has been used and, in particular, how they have detailed the joinery.
One of the real privileges of being a judge on the Wood Awards panel is the way in which people open their buildings for inspection. So often when visiting a project, one would like to see the cellar or the roof, only to find that this is not possible. As one of the judges, however, doors miraculously open and even the most curious (nosey?) member of the panel goes away satisfied!
We find it tremendously satisfying to see such high standards of craftsmanship. This is, of course, immediately apparent in the furniture categories where the virtuosity and skill on display can be literally breathtaking. For anyone who has ever tried to make a simple piece of joinery, the precision and accuracy on display is something to marvel at.
However, it is also very apparent when looking at the building entries how many skilled craftspeople there are in the carpentry and joinery trades. Whilst one might expect very high standards of workmanship in units made off-site in controlled conditions, it is also very apparent in the work which has been completed on site. The best workmanship can give the impression of being effortless, but the skill involved and the care and patience are clear to see when one stops to think about exactly how the work has been carried out.
A successful competition in a specific material, such as the Wood Awards, leads by example and is a real inspiration. Wood and wood products are in a unique position with a beautiful and truly natural building material which has huge environmental advantages, and the timber industry needs to maximise on this.
It is a pleasure to see this is a bumper year with its outstanding crop of entries. Whatever the reason for this – whether it’s because we are slowly working our way out of recession, or that the Wood Awards is now well-established and recognised to be of such high calibre, or simply that more architects, designers, contractors and clients are choosing to work with wood – it is clearly to the benefit of us all.
