Melbourne School of Design wins at Timber Design Awards

A superb example of adventurous design and the use of timber in contemporary architecture, the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne was awarded the WoodSolutions Overall Winners’ prize. The project was a collaborative design between Melbourne’s John Wardle Architects and NADAAA (Boston). The winners of another 22 categories were also announced at a presentation dinner attended by more than 250 industry professionals in Melbourne.

Australia’s most prestigious design awards for the use of timber in the built environment, the Australian Timber Design Awards are now in their 16th year. From their inception, the Awards have expanded to accommodate the evolving use of new and innovative timber products and the changing demands of clients on architects, designers and engineers.

“Achievements in awards is both a recognition of and a contribution to success in the marketplace” said Eileen Newbury, marketing and communications manager for WoodSolutions.

The Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne was created to accommodate students and staff from the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. Over six levels, it includes a series of studio spaces, a studio hall and atrium, lecture theatres, a library, exhibition spaces and specialist workshop areas. It also integrates two significant historical elements, the 1856 facade of the Bank of NSW and the ‘Japanese Room’.

In their Awards entry, the architects stressed the importance of sustainability and the role of wood products in effective environmental design. The building has achieved a 6-Star Green Star Education (v1) rating (design) and is the first educational building to achieve 10 Green Star innovation points.

The judges remarked that innovation was a feature common to many of the finalists across all categories. This reflects the new perceptions of wood and wood products that are leading architects, building designers and engineers to specify them in an ever increasing range of applications – and the enduring popularity of timber among the wider population.

A comprehensive case study of the Melbourne School of Design is available on the WoodSolutions website at:

https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/Inspiration-Case-Study/Melbourne-School-of-Design

See the full list of winners here:

http://timberawards.com.au/winners/awards-winners-2015

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