Timber plays an integral role in two of the six buildings shortlisted for this year’s Stirling Prize.
The refurbished Royal Festival Hall in London and the Bijlmer Arena station in Amsterdam, the Netherlands are among the contenders for the respected Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award.
The refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall included the restoration of its timber surfaces, such as French elm, Australian walnut, birch, ply and teak, with many of the original materials maintained and given a new lease of life. The project also included acoustic panels for the ceiling, made by Taylor Made Joinery using Medite FD MDF with a sycamore veneer.
The new-look concert hall also features a new timber roof above the stage and timber flooring between the seats to improve the acoustic performance.
Amsterdam’s Bijlmer station is the first Dutch railway hub to feature timber in the roof, with 200m³ of Oregon pine, treated with Arch’s Non-Com Exterior fire retardant used as cladding.
The RIBA Stirling Prize winner will be announced at a ceremony in Liverpool on October 11, which will be broadcast on Channel 4 on October 12.
