2026 Wood Awards shortlist announced

The Wood Awards has announced the 34-strong shortlist for its 2026 awards, which are said to showcase the UK’s most ambitious and innovative work in wood across architecture, furniture and product design.

Selected from more than 200 entries, the shortlist comprises 20 buildings and 14 furniture and object projects.

Together, they are said to demonstrate the creativity, environmental responsibility and technical ingenuity of designers and fabricators working with wood today.

The shortlisted projects span the UK, from London and the South East to Yorkshire, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland, reflecting the range of work being undertaken with wood across the country.

Each shortlisted project will be reviewed in person by the Wood Awards judging panels, making the awards a uniquely rigorous competition.

The Wood Awards buildings jury is led by architect Jim Greaves, and includes fellow architects Kirsten Haggart, Jonas Lencer, Sasha Bhavan and David Morley, structural engineers Andrew Lawrence, Nathan Wheatley and Andrew Trotman, architectural journalist Ruth Slavid and sustainability expert Neil Smith.

Jim Greaves, Head of the Buildings judging panel, said: “This year there is a wide and diverse selection of projects, ranging from a small, technically innovative ceiling to a large, long-span commercial timber structure.

“As usual, the projects are situated far and wide, and the judges will be travelling the length and breadth of the country to visit them.

“We have selected 20 building schemes, each demonstrating a considered use of wood alongside a high level of design ambition and technical skill.

“Once again, we have been impressed by the inventive ways in which project teams are working with timber in response to the increasingly complex demands of contemporary construction.

“This shortlist represents some of the most accomplished examples of timber design and construction in the UK today, and we look forward to seeing them in person as the final judging process continues.”

The furniture and objects jury is led by designer and maker Sebastian Cox RDI and includes design consultant Caroline Till, curator Hugo Macdonald, woodworker Sophie Sellu and Ercol chairman Henry Tadros.

Sebastian Cox, Head of the Furniture and Objects judging panel, said: “This year’s Furniture and Objects shortlist reflects an exciting range of approaches, from highly considered functional furniture to more experimental and sculptural works, each showing a strong understanding of wood’s distinctive qualities and potential.

“It is particularly exciting to see the way designers and makers are challenging themselves to explore new forms, techniques and applications, while retaining a deep respect for the material and the craft involved in working with it.

“Together, these pieces celebrate the creativity, skill and imagination of the UK’s contemporary furniture designers and makers, and show the many ways in which wood can be transformed into objects that are both useful and beautifully expressive.”

All shortlisted projects are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Wood Awards website, where images and more information can be found about the projects.

Buildings:

• Camber Sands Welcome Centre, Camber, by DK-CM
• Backstage at The Old Vic, London, by Haworth Tompkins
• Heritage Quad: York Minster Centre of Excellence, York, by Tonkin Liu
• Liverpool University, School of Architecture, Liverpool, by O’Donnell + Tuomey
• Rammed Earth House, Wiltshire, by Tuckey Design Studio
• Winchester College Swimming Pool Roof, Winchester, by Design Engine Architects
• Hemp House, London, by Sanchez Benton Architects
• Metropolis, London, by AHMM
• Bronwen’s Sanctuary, Cardiff, by Studio Propolis
• The Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, University of Oxford, Oxford, by Hopkins Architects
• Tesco Low-Carbon Concept Store, Harrogate, by S+SA Architects
• The House of Quiet Light Staircase, London, by Robert Hirschfield Architects
• The Yard OmVed Gardens, London, by Smerin Architects
• Sheep Field Barn, Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire, by DSDHA
• Pebble Ceiling, by Matthew Burt
• Home Farm Evenlode, Gloucestershire, by Charlie Luxton Design
• Building from Forests, London, by dRMM
• House in the Surrey Hills, Surrey, by Sanchez Benton Architects
• Robotics Living Lab, Work in Progress Pavilion, Manchester, by Bennetts Associates
• Oxford North Cycle Pavilion, Oxford, by Fletcher Priest Architects

Furniture and Objects:

• Portal of Seedlings by Filippo Muzi Falconi
• BespOak by Students and Staff of the Design + Make Course, Architectural Association
• Kontur Series by Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng
• Wattle Mirror by Jacob Marks
• Patchwork Pina Lamp by Jacob Marks
• Black House Stools by Ashen Co
• Common Room by Daniel Schofield Studio
• Afterlife by Zeller & Moye / Katie Paterson
• Hollow Bodies by Max Bainbridge
• A Drop in Time by Olly Fathers
• Dagwood Bench by Lewis Duckworth
• Butterfly Shelf by Jack Allfrey
• The Ocean Screen by Eleanor Pickin
• Our Grandchildren’s World by Henry Chantler

The full Furniture & Object shortlist will be on display in a dedicated exhibition at UNLOCKED Shoreditch from 15–17 September 2026, in partnership with Material Matters.

As a not-for-profit competition, the Wood Awards is made possible by the generous support of its sponsors and partners, which include: Carpenters’ Company, American Hardwood Export Council and Timber Development UK.

For more information about the Wood Awards, visit: Wood Awards | Outstanding wood design, craftsmanship & installation