Source: Timber Trade Federation (TTF)
The shortlist for the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize 2021 has been announced, with the timber-framed Cambridge Central Mosque – a major glulam and CLT structure – one of the six entrants.
Image by TTF
Designed by Marks Barfield, the mosque was a 2019 Wood Awards winner, showcasing impressive timber ‘trees’ that support the roof and external structure.
The mosque has also been designed to limit embodied and operational emissions through the use of natural insulation, water-efficient technology, and of course, a low-carbon timber superstructure.
This could make it the second time in as many years a timber design can take the top award in UK architecture, with the previous winner, in 2019, Goldsmith Street, a timber-framed social housing development in Norwich.
Both the Cambridge Central Mosque and Goldsmith Street highlight how buildings, regardless of their purpose, can be both sustainable and beautiful in design and function. I encourage members to have a look and read the full shortlist of this year’s entrants here.
On the topic of awards, the Wood Awards shortlist was also announced last week. This year’s building entrants range from university libraries to theatres and showcase a wide variety of timber design excellence. The full shortlist can be viewed on the TTF website here.
