Judging Process

Entries will be judged on outstanding timber use, appearance, workmanship, structure and innovation. Judges are looking, in particular, for context-suitable use of timber. Well-considered design and construction with timber will distinguish an entry.

With such a broad range of categories on offer, there is scope for recognition of a variety of applications. Each entry category is judged independently. This is an important feature of the Australian Timber Design Awards: a winning project may excel in a range of distinct areas.

It is important for entries to be comprehensive but concise – judges will refer to written statements, drawings, and detailed photographs, where appropriate, in order to distinguish a winner (see entry requirements). As such, entrants must consider whether their project is suitable for the categories into which it is entered. Entries should display examples of outstanding design in the relevant areas and include a description of the use of timber in each project.

Selection of Judges

Each year the judging panel comprises an architect, an engineer, an academic and a builder. The judging is presided over by a timber industry member. This broad representation across professions ensures that winners are chosen which excel in all aspects of design. This also ensures that winners are chosen who use timber appropriately, expertly and in a way which enhances the timber industry, and timber design in general.

2006 Judges

In 2006 the awards were expertly judged by:

Rosemary Kennedy, the Director of the Centre for Subtropical Design (a partnership between QUT and Brisbane City Council) and Senior Lecturer in the School of Design. Her major research interests are sustainable urbanism and the exploration of higher density residential and mixed use typologies for compact urbanisation in warm climates – particularly regarding the ability of higher density options to produce acceptable or even desirable residential amenity in terms that integrate passive climatic design principles.

Stephanie Smith, a Director of Innovarchi. She graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Sydney in 1985. Her Masters of Architecture research resulted in a study of Self-constructed Aboriginal housing and she has taught ‘Design’ and ‘Aboriginal Environments’ at the University of Queensland and QUT. Stephanie is the contributing author of a book “Settlement: A History of Australian Indigenous Housing” (2000) and she writes articles and reviews for architecture magazines. Stephanie has been an Aboriginal Housing conference facilitator, she has participated in the State Government Women in Business Mentor Programme, she has sat on the RAIA Housing committee and in 2003 was a member of the NSW State Jury for the RAIA Awards.

Tim Gibney of Tim Gibney and Associates, a specialist consulting engineer in structural and geotechnical engineering. He has set up Timber Imagineering, a company which specialises in design and fabrication of timber buildings, and is a member of the Foundations and Footings Society (VIC).

Michael O’Donnel, the former General Manager of Huxley Homes, one of the largest builders of homes in country and coastal NSW and Victoria, from 1979 to 1995. Michael later established his own business, MKO Constructions, which specialises in the design and construction of residential extensions. Michael is a licensed builder and a member of the Master Builders Association (MBA) of NSW. He has been elected to the NSW State Council of the MBA and sits on their Housing and Training Committees.

Presided over by Andrew Dunn

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