Introducing Wood Awards Ireland

Wood Awards Ireland (WAI) promotes wood as a sustainable material in innovative construction and design. WAI rewards architects, engineers, designers and wood workers for creating work in Ireland and overseas, incorporating wood as an inherent medium in their projects with the emphasis on innovation. WAI is organised by the WMF with support from RIAI (the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland), COFORD (National Council for Forest Research & Development), Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine, AHEC (American Hardwood Export Council), Society of Irish Foresters, Coillte, Enterprise Ireland, Passive House+Ecobuild & Upgrade and WMF membership.

Submissions are accepted from practitioners throughout Ireland – north and south – who incorporate wood as the inherent medium in innovative projects. The international dimension of the project is extremely important, so WAI is also open to Irish practitioners based overseas who complete innovative work for Irish and international markets.

Sustainable timber sourcing and usage is a key element of the project with emphasis on energy efficiency. Timber used must be sourced in sustainably managed forests and conform to the EU Timber Regulation (No 995/2010). Eligible projects must be completed during the period June 2012 to 30 June 2014.

Submissions will be accepted under the following categories:

• Large-scale construction with limited or open public access – open to public and commercial buildings, commissioned by public or private clients. Building projects such as schools and universities, local government buildings, offices, hotels, restaurants, libraries and hospitals will be accepted.
• Small-scale private construction – to include privately funded projects for private or community clients. Open to residential properties either new build or extensions.
• Restoration – open to public and private projects that emphasise the creative use of wood in conservation, restoration and repair.
• Structural – entries accepted for structural projects (not included above). To include timber bridges, boardwalks, shelters, decking and other internal and external structural projects.
• Furniture – projects will be accepted from designers, furniture makers and other woodworkers or collaborations between designers and makers. Entries accepted for: Bespoke furniture – to include one-off pieces. Production furniture – open to single or ensemble pieces, produced in commercial quantities.
• Other – internal and external functional and non-functional works including: large and small-scale to include permanent or temporary works (could include, garden buildings, shelters, playground features, staircases and crafts while non-functional projects such as sculpture will be accepted.

More Information available at wood.ie