Askew’s Uptown has taken home the top prize for wood buildings in North America. Designed by the Penticton architecture firm, Allen + Maurer Architects (now named Landform Architecture), the store features a 32,000 square-foot timber roof, which was sourced from five local sawmills.
“We are honoured to be recognized for our Askew’s project,” says architect Chris Allen. “We built sustainability and community into every step. The timber roof in particular was an effort to create true sustainability not just for the land, but for the economy and the local community.”
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Wood Design Award was presented in Vancouver on March 2, as a part of the 11th annual Wood Works! BC Wood Design Awards.
“Askew’s is a showcase for the beauty, versatility and durability of wood from responsibly managed forests,” says Kathy Abusow, president of the Sustainability Forest Initiative. “This project is a prime example of the positive contribution that building with wood from sustainably managed forests can make, particularly in a region where the community and the forestry sector are so closely linked.”
In addition to this prize, Askew’s Uptown was awarded a Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture Special Jury Prize last year, recognizing it as one of the province’s top buildings in 2013.
