Winthrop Library Honored with National WoodWorks Wood Design Award for Wood in Government Buildings

This story initially appeared at WoodWorks.org

WoodWorks has announced its 2023 Wood Design Awards winners, celebrating excellence and innovation in mass timber, heavy timber, light-frame, and hybrid building design. The annual award program charts wood’s growth as a material of choice and recognizes developers and design teams whose creativity and emphasis on quality continue to expand the possibilities for wood buildings.  

“Investing in a more sustainable future deserves to be recognized. It’s an honor to celebrate design teams that inspire the broader AEC community by challenging the expectations of modern design and construction.”

the winthrop library’s exterior wood slatting glows at dusk / photo by benjamin drummond

“This year’s winning projects represent the work of building designers from across the nation who are demonstrating the incredible potential of wood.” - WoodWorks President & CEO, Jennifer Cover

“From 19 stories of CLT and glulam towering over the Milwaukee skyline to wooden reflectors enhancing acoustics in a Colorado theater, these projects underscore how wood enriches the physical landscape of our communities and the experience of those who inhabit them.” 

the winthrop library reading room’s volume was made possible by engineered wood trusses / photo by benjamin drummond

Nominations were evaluated by an independent jury that included: 

National award categories include: 

  • Innovation

  • Commercial Wood Design – Mid-Rise  

  • Commercial Wood Design – Low-Rise 

  • Wood in Schools  

  • Multi-Family Wood Design 

  • Wood in Government Buildings 

  • Institutional Wood Design 

  • Sustainable Wood Design 

  • Beauty of Wood   

  • Durable & Adaptable Wood Structures 

National Winners

Wood in Government Buildings: Winthrop Library | Winthrop, Washington  
Architect: Johnston Architects  
Associate Architect: Prentiss Balance Wickline 
Structural Engineer: Methow Engineering  
Owner: Friends of the Winthrop Library  
Contractor: Impel Construction 

the friends of winthrop library donor wall is engraved on oversized barn doors / photo by benjamin drummond

You can read more articles about the WoodWorks Wood Design Award Winners on websites like The Architect’s Newspaper, Architectural Record, and more.