Awards recognize wood building design

Having recently announced the winners of its 2019 Wood Design Awards, WoodWorks Wood Products Council has issued a call for nominations for the 2020 Wood Design Awards.

The council is a D.C.-based nonprofit organization that provides education and free technical support related to the design and construction of commercial and multi-family wood buildings in the U.S. The awards celebrate innovation and excellence in commercial and multi-family wood building design across the U.S.

The awards are an opportunity to recognize building designers for their skill in and ingenuity, and to showcase projects that demonstrate the attributes of wood that make it so appealing, according to WoodWorks president and CEO Jennifer Cover.

“I’ve heard people call it a wood revolution but whatever the term, this year’s nominees seem to reflect genuine interest in maximizing the potential of wood building design in this country,” Cover said in a statement.

“At one end of the spectrum, winners include an eight-story apartment building, which exemplifies the interest we’re seeing in taller wood structures. At the other end, an adaptive re-use project that includes original wood framing from the 1880s. As always, it’s interesting to read the motivations for using wood – from innovation and a more sustainable built environment, which often go hand in hand, to resilience, economics and the desire for a modern, exposed wood aesthetic. Once again, a common thread is that this year’s winning projects showcase the use of wood in all its versatile glory.”

The entry deadline for the 2020 competition is Sept. 30. Nominations will be judged by an independent jury of design and building professionals. Program rules, category descriptions, and nomination information are available on the WoodWorks website at www.woodworks.org.

Special consideration will be given to recently completed buildings, projects that utilize wood as a dominant structural element, and designs that exemplify new opportunities for wood construction.

Entry categories include Multi-Family Wood Design; Commercial Wood Design Wood in Schools; Institutional Wood Design; Green Building with Wood; Beauty of Wood; Wood in Government Buildings, and Durable & Adaptable Wood Structures.  

This article originally appeared in the August 2019 issue.