Discover the finalists for the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize III

7 September 2018 Sustainable construction

We proudly present two more finalists for the World Architecture Festival’s Best Use of Certified Timber Prize: a mobile university building in Australia that is too well loved to be relocated and a chapel that brings the beauty of traditional Belarusian churches to London.

Macquarie University Incubator – Architectus

Macquarie University Incubator in Austalia

The Macquarie University Incubator provides a space for students to research and develop ideas.

Designed to be fully reusable, the building consists of a prefabricated, modular timber structure, which allows fast construction and assembly, and the potential for future disassembly and relocation.

Sustainability was a key priority in the construction process and the selection of materials. While a cantilevered roof, double-glazing and operable wall panels help to maintain a pleasant room temperature all year round, photovoltaic cells on the roof generate renewable energy.

Made predominately of certified engineered timber, including Victorian Iron Ash, Spruce Glulam and Accoya, the building demonstrates high levels of carbon capture.

The Incubator enchants the users with its timber aroma and radiant natural glow and, despite the possibility to be quickly relocated, is likely to remain in its current location.

Belarusian Memorial Chapel – Tszwai So, Spheron Architects

Belarusian Memorial Chapel in London

The Belarusian Memorial Chapel, erected for the UK’s Belarusian community, is the first wooden church built in London since the Great Fire of 1666.

The only materials used are certified wood and glass, reflecting the austere beauty of Belarusian historical wooden churches, which served as inspiration for the Chapel.

The project successfully combines beauty with sustainability. While the wood works as a thermal envelope, the shape of the building facilitates the circulation of air and therefore allows rapid warming, reducing the use of energy by 58% compared to the previous chapel. The building is made from prefabricated elements of radiata pine and was assembled on site.

The chapel has become an important site for Belarusians worldwide and has sparked curiosity in the wider community.

The Best Use of Certified Timber Prize supported by PEFC

Supported by PEFC, the prize rewards architects and project teams for using certified timber as the main construction material for buildings outstanding in sustainability, innovation, quality or aesthetics.

The winner will be selected at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Amsterdam, on 30 November 2018.

Designing the future with sustainable timber

Across the world, the architecture community is embracing solid and engineered wood to deliver high profile, award winning projects and everyday designs - from houses, schools and hotels to restaurants, theatres, supermarkets and swimming pools.

Under the theme Designing the Future with Sustainable Timber, a range of stakeholders have come together under the leadership of PEFC to promote the use of wood in construction in general and certified wood in particular. Join us! Contact us at fabienne.sinclair@pefc.org.

Photo credits: Architectus, Spheron Architects