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

15 October 2018 Sustainable construction

We proudly present the last two shortlisted projects for the World Architecture Festival’s Best Use of Certified Timber Prize supported by PEFC: a hotel that revived a historic mountain village in Italy, and a visitor centre in China, that takes its guests back in time.

Zallinger Chalets – noa* network of architecture

The Zallinger Chalets are located in the midst of a UNESCO world heritage site in the Italian Alps, where they revived the spirit of a historic mountain village. Originally consisting of a chapel and seven barracks, the village has changed significantly over the years.

Through the traditional construction style, as well as the use of timber as the main construction material, the architects have brought back the charm of the little alpine village of 1850.

While the exterior of the chalets is based on local architectural traditions, the interior design is kept very modern. For both purposes, locally sourced, certified larch wood served as the main construction material.

Wooden walls and a wooden framework characterize the façade, creating a unique appearance for both, inside and out. The project was certified with the KlimaHaus standard B, indicating that it meets very high sustainability standards.

Mulan Weichang Visitor Centre – Hai'ao Zhang, HDD

Located in Hebei, China, and surrounded by Mongolian grasslands, the Mulan Weichang Visitor Centre was inspired by the shape of the traditional yurt camps of Mongolian nomads.

The aim of the architects was to blend the building seamlessly into the surrounding nature. They achieved this by applying techniques from the local architecture and by using local materials, such as stone, wooden beams and rattan.

The architecture of the Mulan Weichang Visitor Centre visualizes the notion of serving as a meeting point and a place to share ideas.

The heart of the building is the lobby, which functions as a local library, while the second floor provides an area for kids. The building offers spacious and open plan areas to accommodate overnight guests.

From inside, visitors can enjoy marvellous views of mountains, rivers, and the vast grasslands, where Chinese emperors used to hold autumn hunting festivals throughout history.

The Best Use of Certified Timber Prize supported by PEFC

For the first time, the World Architecture Festival will reward the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize. Supported by PEFC, the prize recognizes architects for using certified timber for constructions outstanding in sustainability, innovation, quality or aesthetics.

While certified timber is the main construction material in all projects, the type and purpose of the buildings vary widely, demonstrating the versatility of timber as a construction material.

The winner of the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize 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.