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Rooted in Place: 6 Interiors Anchored in Locally Sourced Wood
The winners of the 13th Architizer A+Awards have been announced! Looking ahead to next season? Stay up to date by subscribing to our A+Awards Newsletter.
Locally sourcing materials is one of the clearest commitments a designer can make to sustainability. It reduces the energy used in transportation, supports economies and often results in a better fit between material performance and local climate. One material in particular is a popular choice for this purpose. Wood. In a previous article about wood-drenched interiors, we explored the different reasons why the use of wood in interiors has become a trend. When used wisely, it makes interiors feel and work better, both passively and actively. When designers go a step further and use locally sourced wood, it then becomes a statement about environmental responsibility and cultural context.
This article explores six interiors that use locally sourced wood in distinct ways, such as structure, atmosphere and ethics. Each project reveals a different strategy for anchoring sustainability in real terms. By choosing locally sourced wood, designers cut down on transport emissions, support nearby economies, and make decisions that reflect the climate and culture of a place. But beyond those benefits, each space tells a story of care.
1. Reclaimed Wood, Handcrafted On-Site
Hotel Elysée Montmartre by Policronica, Paris, France
Jury Winner, Built – Sustainable Interior Project, 13th Architizer A+ Awards
Furniture and finishes made from salvaged eucalyptus, crafted in-house to reduce waste and transport.
Paris-based architecture studio, Policronica, partnered with small forest owners to repurpose an undervalued kind of wood, Eucalyptus. They took an invasive species that’s typically used for paper-making and made into a material fit for high-end purposes. The architects conceived and manufactured nearly all of the hotel’s interior elements including lights from this locally sourced wood.
2. Modular Timber Pods From Local Forest Stock
The Nature Gate by Entropic, Józefów, Poland
Jury Winner, Unbuilt Sustainable Non-Residential Project , 13th Architizer A+Awards
Prefabricated timber volumes sourced from nearby forests to minimize impact and preserve the site’s natural character.
Entropic designed this unbuilt library and kindergarten to respond directly to its pine-covered site on the outskirts of Warsaw. They sourced timber from nearby forests and arranged the two volumes to follow the rhythm of the trees. Prefabricated timber pods form classrooms and reading spaces that open to daylight while minimizing disruption to the landscape. By working with local materials and preserving existing trees, the design reduces construction impact and creates a low carbon setting for learning and play.
3. Native Timber Framing Inside an Earthen Envelope
Krume Bäcker by Mallol, Panama City, Panama
Popular Choice Winner, Built – Sustainable Interior Project, 13th Architizer A+ Awards
Locally sourced wood complements rammed earth to form cabinetry and framing with minimal visual noise.
Mallol Arquitectos used locally sourced wood to shape the atmosphere of this Panama City bakery. The wood forms shelving, counters, and custom furniture, adding warmth to the compacted earth walls. Together, the materials ground the interior in its environment and reduce the carbon footprint of construction. By sourcing timber locally, the project cuts down on transport emissions and supports regional craft.
4. Regional Timber for Passive Cooling and Character
Umoya Boutique Hotel by SkreinStudios, Cape Town, South Africa
Popular Choice Winner, Built – Sustainable Hospitality Building, 13th Architizer A+ Awards
Locally sourced wood from invasive species used in ceilings and finishes to balance ecological control with regional character.
SkreinStudios designed this boutique hotel to support the rehabilitation and recovery of elderly guests. Their goal was to blend historical character with modern sustainable design, and they did so by using what they could from where they were. Most construction materials, including the wood, were locally sourced. The team harvested fast growing alien tree species common in South Africa and used them to frame canopies, line ceilings, and finish interior surfaces. By relying on regional materials and labor, the hotel advances both ecological repair and social equity.
5. Locally Harvested Bamboo as Structure and Symbol
The Bull @ Zab e Lee Cooking School by Chiangmai Life Architects, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Jury Winner, Built – Sustainable Hospitality Building, 13th Architizer A+ Awards
Bamboo sourced within a 100 km radius of Chiang Mai, used as both structure and spatial language.
Chiangmai Life Architects designed the Bull pavilion using bamboo sourced within 62 miles (100 kilometers) of the site. Thanks to its rapid growth rate and high metabolism, bamboo absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, acting as a natural carbon sink. By combining locally sourced wood with low-tech construction methods, the architects created a structure that actively reduces its environmental footprint.
6. Mass Timber From Local Forests for Civic Scale
Portland International Airport Terminal by ZGF Architects, Portland, Oregon
Jury Winner, Airports and Transportation Centers, 13th Architizer A+Awards
Locally sourced timber traced to its forest of origin, reducing transport impact and redefining civic scale sustainability.
ZGF Architects built the new Portland terminal roof using more than 2.6 million board feet of locally sourced wood from Oregon and Washington forests. The team did not just buy local. They tracked each piece of wood back to its original forest. This level of traceability redefines what sustainable sourcing can mean at civic scale. Glulam beams and heavy timber span the roof, adding warmth, rhythm and structure. By working directly with regional mills and landowners, the project ties environmental responsibility to transparency, craft and regional pride.
The winners of the 13th Architizer A+Awards have been announced! Looking ahead to next season? Stay up to date by subscribing to our A+Awards Newsletter.
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