INTERGRAIN TIMBER VISION AWARDS
28 Aug 2013
The four winning projects in the 2013 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards inspired and impressed judges with their creative timber applications.
The four winning projects in the 2013 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards inspired and impressed judges with their creative timber applications, embodying a distinctly Australian design aesthetic.
The Intergrain Timber Vision Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the valuable role timber plays in Australian architecture and design. Intergrain Brand Manager, Krystal Brabham, said the Intergrain Timber Vision Awards continue to grow year on year, due in part to the rising prominence of timber features in both residential and commercial design. “Timber in design is being viewed differently, with architects experimenting with applications and uses of recycled timber. The winning projects showcased these ideals alongside inspirational design visions,” Brabham said.
The Coolum Beach Streetscaping Project, designed by Carl Holder - Product Designer & Urban Artist, won ‘Best Commercial Exterior’. It was awarded for its strong daytime and night time presence as a public work of art. The project speaks to the philosophy of its surrounding environment as an indirect expression of textures and forms in a fluid and tactile three-dimensional, 12 metre long timber surface.
Judged ‘Best Commercial Interior’ was restaurant and bar, Captain Melville in Brunswick, designed by Breathe Architecture. The project was awarded for successfully balancing the heritage ideal of the Australian Gold Rush with a contemporary design and sensitively inserting timber seamlessly into the interior. Breathe Architecture also implemented an innovative way of recycling and re-imagining timber as something other than its natural form, with the timber evoking an image of layers of gold ingots.
The House House, by Andrew Maynard Architects was awarded ‘Best Residential Exterior’, as an impressive new addition to two existing terrace houses, with the timber structure a natural stand out. The project uses timber as an overall expression of a new architectural inner-city type, with the timber adding domestic warmth and vibrancy to the exterior facade of the house. The project cleverly spans two existing houses and disguises the join between them.
The ‘Best Residential Interior’ went to the Shearer’s Quarters, a property on North Bruny Island (TAS), designed by John Wardle Architects. The building sits as a companion building to a historic cottage and provides accommodation for shearers and rural contractors.
Making use of local and recycled timbers, including timber from old rural windbreaks and recycled apple box crates, the building design forms a holistic story between the artist, home and setting. The adaptive use of materials is impressive and the timber usage is creative in design with its unusual panel size and offset joints adding texture throughout. The wooden bookcase in the living space is a standout feature.
Overall, the 2013 program showcased a range of outstanding timber applications from around Australia. The stories behind each of the projects fuel the ideal that timber is a vehicle for encouraging rich narratives about places.