Celebrating Excellence in Wood Architecture: The 2026 Wood Design & Building Awards

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The 2026 Wood Design & Building Awards recognized outstanding projects in wood architecture at a recent ceremony in Calgary, highlighting innovation and creativity within the industry.

CALGARY, ALTA. – Recently, Calgary played host to the prestigious 2026 Wood Design & Building Awards, an event dedicated to honoring remarkable achievements in wood architecture and design. This annual awards program, organized by the Canadian Wood Council, has been celebrating excellence for 42 years and coincided with the kickoff of the Calgary Wood Solutions conference. The event showcased a total of 27 outstanding projects, comprising 14 selected by the esteemed jury of the Wood Design & Building Awards, alongside four special sponsored awards and nine regional awards from WoodWorks.
Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council, expressed his congratulations to this year’s award winners, stating, “Their work gives us much to admire and even more to look forward to. Through their creativity, skill and ambition, these teams are showing how thoughtful wood design can create places that are more inspiring, more enduring and better suited to the needs of people and communities.” He emphasized that the achievements of these architects and designers not only advance the conversation around wood design but also point toward exciting future possibilities in construction and design.
The award-winning projects this year ranged from smaller, intricately designed structures to larger developments that made a significant urban impact. The diversity of the 2026 recipients illustrates that innovation in wood design thrives across various scales, highlighting the versatility and adaptability of wood as a building material.
Among the notable winners was the Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour, designed by Oxbow Architecture and Richard Kroeker Design, representing the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation in Treaty 4, Saskatchewan. Other prominent projects included Limberlost Place in Toronto by Moriyama Teshima Architects in collaboration with Acton Ostry Architects, and the Knight Building in Big Sky, Montana, crafted by Integrated Design Cubed (IDCUBED) in partnership with NKBAK and Peter Rose + Partners. The Vonnegut Cabins in Thoreau, New Mexico, were also recognized, designed by the ColoradoBuildingWorkshop at the University of Colorado Denver.
The awards also honored merit projects such as the Chief Leonard George Building in Vancouver, designed by GBL Architects Inc., and the House for Rejuvenation in Gyeongju-si, South Korea, by JK-AR. Furthermore, the Koffler Scientific Reserve in King City, Ontario, was recognized for its design by Montgomery Sisam Architects, while the FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre in Winnipeg was created by Stantec Architecture Ltd.
In addition to these accolades, the event featured awards in various categories, acknowledging projects such as the University of Southern Maine Crewe Center for the Arts in Portland, Maine, and the Kalesnikoff Modular Facility in Castlegar, British Columbia. The jury, led by experienced professionals, faced a challenging selection process from 149 submissions, demonstrating the high standards and exceptional work being produced within the architecture and design profession.
Ioana Lazea, senior manager for the program at the Canadian Wood Council, highlighted the jury's dedication to thoughtful deliberation during the selection process, stating, “The projects recognized this year reflect both the high standard they brought to the jury room and the remarkable work taking place across the profession.” The event not only recognized past achievements but also aimed to inspire future innovation in wood design and construction practices.

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