On 30 November, the Australian Timber Design Awards were announced. The awards celebrate the design and construction of structures that feature timber. Now in their 22nd year, the Awards are distinguished by a proud heritage of winning projects that demonstrate innovation. The Awards promote and encourage outstanding timber design.
The awards organisers said it is evident from this year’s submissions that architects, engineers, and builders are exploring the use, warmth, strength, and versatility that timber has to offer.
“We applaud the tenacity of each project team that has worked under the challenges of COVID restrictions to complete and submit their projects this year.”
The Eric Tweedale Stadium designed by dwp | design worldwide partnership was announced as winner of the Australian Timber Design Award 2021. In addition to the winning overall Award for TImber design, the project also won in the category of ‘Commercial and Public Buildings’ as well as Excellence in Engineering.
The Eric Tweedale Stadium, located in Granville Park NSW Australia, has received huge interest and industry recognition since its opening earlier this year. Appearing on Australian National Television and various industry publications worldwide from Australia and Asia all the way to Serbia in Eastern Europe, the Eric Tweedale Stadium and the design team at dwp | design worldwide partnership are now also the proud recipients of the Australian Timber Design Award.
The design of the Eric Tweedale Stadium is driven by the stadium’s connection to the local environment and history of the Cumberland Plains. Located within Granville Park, its form and materiality respond to the site’s heritage as much as to its current sporting environment. The Stadium includes a grandstand with change rooms, multipurpose room, first-floor function space, commercial kitchen and outdoor viewing deck. The glulam roof cantilevers over eight meters over the seating, creating a simple yet strikingly beautiful form that also gives historical reference to the forest that once dominated the site. The use of a mass timber structure in the Stadium is the first use of glulam timber for this type of facility in Australia, representing an impressive achievement in architectural design and timber engineering.
Michael Hegarty, CEO – dwp said the Eric Tweedale Stadium is a truly outstanding project and it is the outcome of great work by a cohesive project team led by an exceptional Design Director, Ivana Simkovic of dwp Sydney studio.
“The team included the Cumberland City Council client with a clear vision, the supportive end-users and project stakeholders, skilled engineers and resilient builders who worked through the challenges of the last two years. They have collectively created a beautiful building that celebrates its place and its purpose.
“The Stadium is already well loved by the users, it creates positive experiences because of its design, as joyful as a musical composition and Ivana was the ‘conductor of the orchestra’. She firstly imagined the architectural form, then meticulously designed it and, with great determination, she resisted unnecessary compromises to ensure that the team delivered.”
All the winners
Excellence in Timber Applications:
- Residential Class 1 – New Building – Permanent Camping 2 by Casey Brown Architecture
- Residential Class 1 – Alteration or Addition – Smash Repair House by Matt Elkan Architect
- Multi-Residential – Adelaide Oval Hotel by Cox Architecture + Carr
- Public / Commercial Buildings – Eric Tweedale Stadium by dwp Australia & Northrop
- Interior Fitout – Residential – Divided House by Jackson Clements Burrows
- Interior Fitout – Commercial – F+P Studio by Fitzpatrick + Partners
- Landscape – Station Street Mall by Site Office
- Furniture and Joinery – Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas by Tzannes
- Stand Alone Structure – Suspended Remnants – A Funicular Timber Pavilion by Baber, Burry, Chen & Gattas
Excellence in Timber Products
- Australian Certified Timber – Royd Clan’s House by Nadine Samaha – Architect
- Recycled Timber – Eden Port Welcome Centre by Cox Architecture
- Timber Veneers – Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas by Tzannes
Merits
- People’s Choice – Eric Tweedale Stadium by dwp Australia & Northrop
- Sustainability – Smash Repair House by Matt Elkan Architect
- Rising Star – Matt Sansom of Circa Morris-Nunn Chua for Arthur Circus
- Small Budget – Phoenix Pavilion by Karine Dupre & Pavilion Team