An enchanting transformation of the Natural History Museum’s grounds, including a new café and education building, has been named the UK’s best new timber project, having won the Gold Award at the Wood Awards 2025.
Sensitively integrating two new buildings within the relandscaped gardens of the Natural History Museum, the Urban Nature Project, led by Feilden Fowles, is a triumph of sustainable, landscape-led development.
Five acres of underused garden have been transformed into an oasis of urban nature, telling the story of change on our planet over time. Nestled amidst this verdant setting are two timber and stone buildings: the Garden Kitchen, a visitor café, and the Nature Activity Centre, providing space for youth learning activities and scientific research.
Combining a Douglas fir glulam timber frame with a load-bearing masonry façade, the café features a stepped roof with a glazed lantern and openable panels for natural ventilation. The education pavilion takes a low barn-like form with long elevations. Its asymmetric pitched roof – formed from solid Douglas Fir and artfully clad with Western Red Cedar shingles – projects dramatically to provide sheltered seating space, as well as celebrating the capture of rainwater. Both spaces are characterised by carefully detailed, efficient timber structures that are expressed throughout.
These pioneering, low-energy buildings have been designed to have a positive impact on the environment and to inspire greater connection with nature. By using locally sourced, low-impact materials – including UK-grown Douglas fir and British limestone – the Urban Nature Project is an exemplar of low embodied carbon construction that supports local supply chains and vernacular craft.
The Urban Nature Project timber structures were designed by Feilden Fowles in collaboration with specialist timber design and subcontractor Xylotek, and structural engineering by engineersHRW. They were built by Walter Lilly, with joinery from SP Joinery and wood supplied by East Brothers Ltd and Marley. The landscape architects for the project were J&L Gibbons, with the multidisciplinary design team including Max Fordham and Gitta Gschwendtner.
Jim Greaves, principal of Hopkins Architects and lead Buildings judge, said:
“Feilden Fowles’ scheme has transformed the approach to the Natural History Museum, creating a journey through geological time with the creation of a series of outdoor living galleries. Sitting calmly within this setting are two new timber buildings, at one with the landscape and complementing the Waterhouse masterpiece behind.
The project, in its entirety, exemplifies environmental sensitivity and thoughtful timber detailing. Throughout, the timber is visible but protected; light and elegant; using simple, economic joinery to create legible, highly refined buildings that are at one with their setting and create valuable high-use spaces for a much-loved public institution.”
The Wood Awards building judges, a team of world-leading professionals led by Jim Greaves of Hopkins Architects, visited all 20 buildings shortlisted in the Wood Awards before deciding the winner, in one of the UK’s most rigorous assessments for any competition.
Urban Nature Project, Natural History Museum beat more than 80 buildings in the UK to claim the Gold Award. It is also the winner of the Education and Public Sector category.
Among the other winners of the night, Chowdhury Walk, The Armadillo, Pine Heath and The Cowshed all won their respective categories – showcasing the potential of timber from terraced social housing through to groundbreaking experimental structures. New Wave House and Paradise were recipients of the Sustainability and Structural Awards. Among the furniture & object winners were A Forest Datum, Levity Collection, Red Knot, The Growth Project and Her Captain’s Chair – each demonstrating outstanding talent in British wood design.
“The UK’s long and proud tradition of timber construction is powerfully reflected in this year’s Gold Award winner,” said David Hopkins, CEO of Timber Development UK (lead organisers of the Wood Awards).
“It is a project that brings our natural heritage – sustainable forestry, healthy woodlands and exceptional craftsmanship – into the heart of our national heritage in an outstanding public and educational setting.
“I would like to congratulate the entire team behind the Urban Nature Project and applaud all the entrants to this year’s Wood Awards, who collectively show how timber can drive the transition to a low-carbon built environment while delivering places of remarkable beauty.”
You can find out more information about all of the 2025 Wood Award winners by visiting www.woodawards.com.
As a not-for-profit competition, the Wood Awards can only happen with collaborative industry sponsorship. A huge thank you for the continued support from The Carpenters’ Company, American Hardwood Export Council and Timber Development UK.
