David Morley Architect’s Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool scooped the top award in this year’s hotly contested Wood Awards 2012 competition.
The ceremony was held at the Carpenters’ Hall in the City of London. The Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool first saw off competition of an exceptionally high standard to win the Structural category, before being awarded the winner of winners by Mr. Gordon Campbell, High Commissioner of Canada, in front of over 200 leading industry and architectural figures.
The Hurlingham Club is recognised worldwide as one of Britain’s greatest quintessentially English private members’ clubs.
Chairman of the judges, Michael Morrison of Purcell UK said: “The Wood Awards truly celebrates innovative design and craftsmanship, and the Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool is without doubt a worthy winner; we were presented with a whole hearted complete package.
“The careful analysis of what was loved about old changing room pavilion was sympathetic and the recreation and integration of all the elements which mattered were carefully considered and achieved with great craftsmanship. Delightful.”
Wood Awards’ structural judge Andrew Lawrence of Arup praised the Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool’s innovative timber structural solution.
He said: “With its even front and repeating rhythm, the building is excellently resolved to make a special place. It is not only intelligent, but is as lovely as the images lead you to believe.”
The other Wood Awards 2012 winners are Stowe Gardens Visitor Centre in Buckinghamshire by Cowper Griffith Architects for the Commercial & Public Access Award; East London House in London by David Mikhail Architects for the Private Award; the eclectic Feering Farm Barn in Essex by Hudson Architects for the Repair & Adaptive Reuse Award, and Anne Boleyn’s Gateway at Hampton Court Palace by McCurdy & Co. for the Small Project Award. The Production Made Furniture Award was won by Namon Gaston Design’s ‘Wu Bench’, and Rupert McBain’s future antique ‘Extending Oak Table’ took the Bespoke Furniture Award. AL_A’s Timber Wave, a temporary installation of a majestic 12 metre high American red oak three dimensional latticework spiral by Cowley Timberwork and engineered by Arup, created for the V&A entrance for the 2011 London Design Festival, was awarded the Wood Awards Judges’ Special Commendation.
Loyd Grossman, chairman of the Heritage Alliance welcomed the packed house to the awards, and praised the sponsors of the Wood Awards for their dedication and invaluable contribution to the vital, unique and versatile material that is wood, and the High Commissioner of Canada left the audience with the mantra “wood is good”.
Canada Wood, the joint initiative between the Canadian government and timber industry association partners representing producers in Canada and the timber industry’s sustainability and promotion campaign Wood for Good this year become lead sponsors, alongside long-standing supporters the American Hardwood Export Council, the Carpenters’ Company and TRADA. Other sponsors include American Softwoods, with support from BRE.