NZ Wood have launched the 2010 Timber Design Award nominations, link through to vote for your favourite for the People's Choice Award.

The 2010 Timber Design Awards have been hosted by NZ Wood since 2008, and have published for us the 42 projects nominated in the categories of Residential Architectural Excellence, Residential Engineering Excellence, Commercial Architectural Excellence, Commercial Engineering Excellence, Sustainability, Outdoor Infrastructure, Cladding Building Envelope, Interior Fit Out, the new category Clever Wood Solution Award, and the People's Choice Award, which you are invited to vote for here.

Have a perusal through the projects, which are limited to three images and some copy to represent each project.

Some projects that caught my eye for various reasons...

The Coastal House by Tennent + Brown Architects is looking pretty elegant in its formally striking elevation.  Mana Tamariki, a Te Reo Maori immersion school designed by Tennent + Brown also looks beautifully finished.
Coastal House by Tennent + Brown Architects.


The Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre has been looking great ever since its early sketches, and thanks to Dunning Thornton Consultants, Architecture Workshop, Hunters, and Hawkins Construction, its roof structure in particular is looking world-class.
The Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre, Architecture Workshop et al.


The detailing and expression of timber in the Courtyard House from KebbellDaish Architects is also a stand-out in the whole bunch, focusing in particular on a beautiful staircase.
Staircase (outside and inside detail) of the Courtyard House, KebbellDaish Architects.


The Folding Whare from Callum Dowie is pretty curious, while Boon Goldsmith Bhaskar Brebner (Team Architects) show us how to take vertical slats seriously in their S House, Oakura.  In the Supreme Court, a project which has attracted some pretty heavy critique, you have to admit the interior of the courtroom (nevermind the metaphors) is looking pretty amazing, so long as your 'just visiting'.
The Folding Whare, by Callum Dowie.
The Supreme Court from Warren & Mahoney.


The Windflow 500 from Windflow Technology was a great surprise to me.  They have developed a laminated timber blade for a smaller 500kW turbine, which is lighter and constructed from renewable pine.  Pretty cool.

See the full list here to cast your vote.