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Making the most of a naturally beautiful material such as wood requires a talented and creative joiner. The award-winning wooden joinery featured on these pages displays clean, simple lines that enhance the material's natural appeal.
Entrants displaying deceptively simple designs were popular with the judges of this year's Solid Timber Joinery Awards, hosted by the New Zealand Timber Importers Association.
The supreme award went to Woodstar for their work on the Auckland Botanical Gardens visitor centre. Association president Chris Wiffen was impressed with Woodstar's work.
"Woodstar's entry is one out of the box, and the stunning simplicity of the work belies the complex requirements of manufacture," he says.
The central steel roof supports in the visitor centre are clad with wood to simulate tree trunks, and the exposed roof struts look like branches. Made from western red cedar, the 10 trees are made from bevelled, individual cedar planks with a tongue-and-groove joint.
The trunks are cylindrical at the bottom, but then taper to the top, which Wiffen says is a major technical achievement.
The judges also commented on the technical difficulty of the project.
"Fine detail and intricate manufacture are made to look simple. There is an imaginative use of materials, and the work is refreshingly innovative, technically demanding, and successfully reflects the high level of skill employed," the judges say.
Best fitment was awarded to Mearns and Leckie of Dunedin for a white oak main entrance and stairway. White oak was also used through the rest of the house, which required consistency of grain and colour. Judges also commented on the complexity of the design.
MJN McNaughton from Auckland won the award for best entrance or door. Constructed in western red cedar from architects' drawings, the door has six raised panels with large Bolection moulds around each. It features laminated curves in the top half of the door.
Judges said the entrance was superbly crafted.
"The entrance has high impact, is visually appealing, and the choice of materials suits the application," they say.
Best use of a feature species was awarded to Nico-Design from Nelson for a kitchen in a new beach house. Doors and drawers are made from eucalyptus delegatensis and laminated glass panels. Judges said the contrast between materials was aesthetically pleasing.
Wiffen says the level of skill within the industry to produce these high-quality products has never been better. New apprentices are coming through the system, and the industry is continuing to gain in strength. Environmental issues are of big concern to the association, and all species promoted by them must be sustainably produced.
For details, contact New Zealand Timber Importers Association. Email: president@timber.org.nz. Website: www.timber.org.nz.