A Class Above
Officially sold-out and packed to the rafters, the 2019 Awards took place once again during UK Construction Week at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham. The gala event rewarded all those in the construction industry taking timber to more imaginative and sophisticated levels.
Put it down to perfect timing, with the heightened interest in offsite technology, combined with the abundance of outstanding projects and it is easy to see why the 2019 Structural Timber Awards surpassed all previous events in terms of the calibre of entries and attendance.
Construction professionals gathered at this prestigious award ceremony on 9 October to celebrate the great, the good and the simply outstanding. The Awards were hosted by compere and 'master of mimicry' Alistair McGowan, who ensured that the celebrations were not only be inspirational but also highly entertaining and included a very special Brexit message from Boris Johnson amongst many other impressions.
The 2019 Structural Timber Awards surpassed all previous events in terms of the calibre of entries and attendance.
The abundance of outstanding projects and many innovative products entering the market mean it is no easy task for the judging panel who do not enter into the process lightly – a great deal of time is taken by all those involved in the final decisions – and the final choices are always an extremely close call.
With 16 categories, nearly 250 entrants and over 70 companies shortlisted, this year's judges had an onerous job of selecting the winners. The big winner on the night was Blumer-Lehmann AG, Gilbert Ash and Marks Barfield Architects for Cambridge Mosque who scooped the overall Winner of Winners. One of the judges described the project as: "a remarkable building that pushes the boundaries of glulam design, manufacture and assembly into wholly new areas that suggest huge potential for new building forms to be developed using cross laminated timber construction methods and products. Rarely do buildings as innovative as this come along and the achievement would certainly justify the accolade of project of the year."
THE FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS INCLUDED:
• Social Housing Project of the Year: Eurban, Stora Enso, Elliott Wood and Trivselhus for Marmalade Lane
• Private Housing Project of the Year: G-Frame Structures and Stora Enso for Roberts & Treguer's Blaker Island
• Custom and Self-Build Project of the Year: Cullinan Studio for Push-Pull House
• Education Project of the Year: Hopkins Architects for Music School Kings College AND Tate Harmer & Blue Forest for The Townsend Building, Cranleigh Preparatory School
• Commercial Project of the Year: B&K Structures, Laing O'Rourke, Bennetts Associates, Buro Happold and Binderholz for Jaguar Land Rover Expansion Scheme
• Retail and Leisure Project of the Year: ZMMA for Heath Robinson Museum
• Low Energy Project of the Year: Lowfield Timber Frame for Callaughtons Ash
• Pioneer of the Year: Arup & Waugh Thistleton Architects for Multiply
• Engineer of the Year: Engenuiti for The Pavilion Manchester
• Architect of the Year: LOM Architecture and Design for The Heart Building
• Client of the Year: Ministry of Defence for Larkhill MOD Scheme
• Contractor of the Year: Eurban for Regents Park Open Air Theatre
• Installer of the Year: Blumer-Lehmann AG for Cambridge Mosque
• Project and Construction Manager of the Year: Mike O'Dell, Mid Group
• Product Innovation Award: University of Innsbruck and Rothoblaas for SPIDER CONNECTOR SYSTEM
• Project of the Year: Marks Barfield Architects for Cambridge Mosque
• SIPs Project of the Year: Innovare Systems for The Red Kite Academy
• Solid Wood Project of the Year: B&K Structures, Laing O'Rourke, Bennetts Associates, Buro Happold and Binderholz for Jaguar Land Rover Expansion Scheme
• Timber Frame Project of the Year: Stewart Milne Timber Systems, Taylor Lane Timber Frame, Lovell and Ministry of Defence for Larkhill MOD Scheme
• Winner of Winners: Blumer-Lehmann AG, Gilbert Ash and Marks Barfield Architects for Cambridge Mosque
The head of the judging panel and Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association (STA), Andrew Carpenter said of the night: "The depth of expertise across all categories was impressive and the exceptional number of entries clearly demonstrates the upturn in the industry. The Structural Timber Awards is a high-point in the construction industry calendar and it is truly inspiring to see so much activity in the sector." After the three-course Dinner and Awards ceremony, the evening continued with a fun casino. For the hundreds of construction professionals who have attended the Structural Timber Awards, there is no need to explain the promotional opportunities that go hand in hand with this event. The Awards provide one of the most effective platforms to promote brands or companies alongside the best of the best.
There has already been a large amount of attention focused on next year's awards, which will be returning 7 October 2020. The Awards once again will reward excellence, celebrate expertise in timber technology and the ways it contributes to an attractive, energy efficient and sustainable built environment.
Please note that the Submission deadline for entries into the 2020 Structural Timber Awards is 29 May 2020. For details on sponsorship packages and promotional opportunities and to register interest to either sponsor the 2020 Structural Timber Awards or to enter your project into the awards, please contact Amy Pryce: amy.pryce@radar-communications.co.uk
