York Timbers, the dtic and the University of Pretoria hosted the second annual Timber Design Competition. The focus of the 2024 competition shifted from the rural to the urban, investigating the possibilities and potentials of timber construction in cities.

The brief challenged participants to ‘graft’ a new home for the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute (FABI), embracing the dual meaning of the word - to both extend and to integrate. This challenge extended beyond a superficial architectural endeavour to explore timber as a material that is not only deeply rooted in our past but also a sustainable resource that can play a central role in our future cities.

Competitors were invited to reimagine the existing FABI II building on the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Campus, utilising engineered timber construction techniques to merge new with old, fostering an environment that balances innovation with nature.

The competition served as a platform to showcase the role of timber in creating striking architecture, enhancing an urban environment, and illustrating the ecological benefits of a carbon-negative material such as wood.

THE BRIEF & THEME: 2025

‘Design an item of wooden furniture for the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) on the Pretoria University Hatfield Campus that can be used either indoors or outdoors. You must look at the abridged brief for the Timber Design Competition and the winning student design above, as the item you are designing will theoretically be used in this space. The piece MUST have a South African theme and must be manufactured from any alien invasive species of wood currently found in South Africa such as pine; gum; wattle (blackwood) and poplar. Furntech will supply a list of invasive species and will assist the finalists to source the timber)

For more information, please download the information sheet.

For the category of established manufacturers & designers, please download the entry form here
If you are a student and wish to participate, please download the entry form here.