It is a privilege to have been appointed the new Chair of the Furniture & Objects judges. I am delighted to be joined by a fantastic panel of respected industry judges – each bringing expertise from different spheres of the world of wood, from sustainability consultancy to design, making and curation. Together, we opened an exciting new door for the Wood Awards, with the introduction of the Sculptured Objects category, which spotlights artisans pushing the boundaries of traditional woodworking to create singular forms of expression.
The panel was bowled over by the creativity and vision displayed in over 130 submissions, from which we selected a shortlist of fifteen outstanding projects. These were displayed at an exhibition on the Southbank during the London Design Festival, which provided a prominent platform to share the works with a wide audience of design, craft and material enthusiasts. It was a challenging task to select our winners, and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the realisation of the shortlisted projects – they should be extremely proud. I would also like to thank my fellow judges for their time and dedication throughout this process.
This year’s winning projects reveal thoughtful and skilful uses of wood in response to a variety of design concerns – from how we reimagine, preserve or uncover cultural and craft histories to how we make best use of current resources and technologies to shape our future.
Responding to the issue of ash dieback with a socially beneficial mode of production, the Ebworth Stools makes use of locally felled timber while meaningfully contributing to carpentry education. The Communion table uses innovative CNC manufacturing to work American maple into a culturally significant piece of bespoke furniture, activated through performance to tell powerful stories of West African histories and culinary traditions.
The student-made Karl and Rita ash loveseat also encourage storytelling – of a more personal kind – with carefully arranged seats creating the perfect setting for intimate conversation. Delighting in the tactile interaction between natural forms and materials, Endless Orbit – the first recipient of the new Sculptured Object award – revives traditional boat making techniques to create intricately constructed structures out of Scottish elm and larch that wrap and hold, ancient stones.
Amongst the highly commended projects, we can see the remarkable cross-industry collaboration behind the Aran chair, creating a sustainable production initiative at scale, and the scope of the National Portrait Gallery Benches: exquisitely made pieces of bespoke public furniture which will be enjoyed by thousands of museum-goers. In Common Ground, a stand-alone object hand-sculpted from a fallen walnut tree, we find a true celebration of wood as material, while the Red Loop Windsor combines a fluid, dancing form with comfort and functionality, demonstrating great accomplishment in the Student Designer category.
Together, these diverse projects reflect a wealth of talent and creativity and an industry attuned to the urgent environmental challenges of the present day. In their profound and holistic engagement with timber-based design and manufacture, they also demonstrate the unique role that wood, as a renewable and sustainable natural material can play while enhancing our surroundings and enriching our culture.
SEBASTIAN COX (CHAIR OF FURNITURE & OBJECTS PANEL)
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