Best Use of Certified Timber Prize: two finalists showcase the flexibility and design qualities of timber

4 October 2021 Sustainable construction

The World Architecture Festival (WAF) and PEFC have unveiled the eight finalists for this year’s Best Use of Certified Timber Prize.

The Prize rewards architects and project teams for using certified timber as the main construction material for outstanding buildings.

The first projects in the spotlight are a Danish research centre with an extraordinary landmark design, and a movable kiosk, inspired by the local market stalls in Hong Kong.

Climatorium Climate Centre – 3XN Architects

The new waterfront Climatorium Climate Centre in Lemvig, Denmark, is a place of both community and innovation.

The forum for knowledge, education, innovation, and development projects has a distinctive contemporary look, with a wooden ‘wave’ above the main entrance making it an easily recognisable landmark.

Inspired by the village’s characteristic fishing boats, the motif is a tribute to the area’s cultural history and local building customs. The combination of building materials – wood, concrete and steel – is inspired by the nearby boat halls, giving the building a raw, rustic expression that resonates with the local environment.

Inside, the Climatorium offers office spaces, common areas, a café, and an exhibition area, seeking to create social synergies by encouraging users of the building to meet and collaborate. The lower floor can be used for conferences, concerts and events of various kinds and has the potential to become a new local meeting place.

The PEFC-certified timber was supplied by Frøslev Træ, a Danish timber company based in Padborg. 

Harbour Kiosk - LAAB Architects

Harbour Kiosk is a food kiosk that sells local snacks and drinks at the Avenue of Stars along the harbour front of Hong Kong. 

The architecture combines design with engineering to create transformations that pay tribute to the moving images of the cinema industry. The kiosk is the first kinetic public building in Hong Kong.

Inspired by the compact, transformable local hawker stalls, Harbour Kiosk organizes its space by opening and closing its foldable structure. 

While automatically transforming its gate into an awning during the day, it returns to its compact shape at night. The structure and system were designed to withstand the typhoon season in Hong Kong.

A wave generator system moves the timber fins of the Kiosk throughout the day to resonate with the waves of the sea. The mechanical movement is powered by a linear motion system made of 49 connected robotic arms installed behind the timber fins.

The Best Use of Certified Timber Prize, supported by PEFC

The World Architecture Festival and PEFC are awarding the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize for the third time.

Again this year, architects and project teams from around the world entered their buildings into the prize. The jury will announce the winner on 30 November at 17:00 CET during an online session.

Photo credits: Adam MØrk, Otto Ng/Hang Yip - LAAB