The responsible use of natural resources will be fundamental to guaranteeing future generations a sustainable future. For this reason, every economic sector must be involved. Above all, everyone must be aware: it is in this sense that a paradigm shift is needed — a cultural one, first and foremost. Respecting natural cycles in the exploitation of resources must become second nature. The Wood Architecture Prize by Klimahouse, which helped celebrate the International Day of Forests (held on 21 March), is aimed precisely at this goal.

The countless resources provided by forests

The award, introduced by Fiera Bolzano under the patronage and with the scientific contribution of the Iuav University of Venice, seeks to promote awareness of the sustainable use of wood, demonstrating how this material can represent the cornerstone of innovative and responsible architecture. Forests are a vital resource for the Earth, not only for their capacity to absorb the carbon dioxide produced in excess by human activities, but also for the biodiversity they are able to host.

Furthermore, forested areas are a cornerstone of food security, providing fruits, seeds and roots, as well as a means of livelihood for millions of families (particularly indigenous and rural communities). But that is not all: less well known is, for example, the fact that forest basins supply fresh water to more than 85 per cent of the world's major cities. It is no coincidence that five billion people on Earth use forest products to feed themselves, treat illness or pursue economic activities.

The construction sector can become a model of circular economy

Yet humanity is still unable to manage such a treasure in a healthy way. Every year, ten million hectares of forests around the world still disappear due to human activities. And a further 70 million are destroyed on average by fires. The importance of awards such as the Wood Architecture Prize by Klimahouse is therefore clear. Also because initiatives of this kind know how to bear fruit: "While globally the area covered by forests has fallen by 4 per cent in recent years, in Italy the opposite trend is taking place: woodlands currently cover 37 per cent of the territory, a significant increase that gives cause for optimism regarding the capacity to mitigate climate change", Klimahouse explains.

With regard to the construction sector in particular, wood is an element of extraordinary importance. Precisely for this reason, a design vision based on sustainability is needed: the sector can indeed transform itself into a circular economy model capable of helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and, consequently, counter the climate crisis. It is with this perspective in mind that the Wood Architecture Prize by Klimahouse sought to recognise those who have been able to propose innovative solutions in the wood supply chain. "The prize was established in 2023 with the intention of enhancing, incentivising and promoting the pursuit of a design and construction process that, through wood, is able to interpret the imperatives set at international level by the urgent issues of climate and sustainability," explains Céline Faini, Brand Manager of Klimahouse. "It aims to enhance research and experimentation in design and to promote awareness of modern, environmentally sensitive construction solutions."

The winners of the Wood Architecture Prize by Klimahouse 2025

Entrants were asked to present their vision of responsible construction with wood at its centre. The 2025 edition awarded three projects and granted four special mentions. Among the winners was the Centro Anck'io in Villafranca (province of Verona), conceived by Antonio Ravalli and Giorgio Nicolò, recognised for "its ability to condense various community functions of particular public value within a modularly structured building that guarantees great flexibility in the use of spaces, including outdoor covered areas. The entire complex is unified by the clear, simple design of the timber coffered covering slab, disassemblable and reusable at the end of the building's life cycle."

The award then went to Casa Larun, in Tregnago (also in the province of Verona), by studio Zarcola: "A building replacement project that carved out a dwelling on a narrow plot, achieved through a structural cage of micro-laths serving both a seismic and an interior design function of extraordinary unity and poetry." "In our perception," commented architects Edoardo Giancola and Federico Zarattini of studio Zarcola, "awareness of the need to adopt sustainable approaches in the construction sector has grown in recent times, thanks in part to media outreach and to regulation from the European Union." Sustainability, moreover, "should not entail higher costs. A case in point is the rural architecture of the past, where simplicity of means and resources led to simple solutions for better energy efficiency." A responsible approach is therefore beneficial from every point of view, although, Giancola and Zarattini note, "achieving a high level of sustainability certainly has a significant impact on construction costs."

Finally, the award went to the Kindergarten Algund in Lagundo (province of Bolzano) by Feld72 Architekten ZT. This was an extension project that stood out "for the quality of its construction and for the definition of interior spaces that, even within an ordinary spatial arrangement, convey domestic atmospheres of particular sensitivity and intimacy."

Klimahouse also honours innovative projects and young architects

The jury's special mentions went to Antonio De Rossi, Laura Mascino, Edoardo Schiari, Matteo Tempestini, and Maicol Guiguet for the project Rigenerazione delle casermette di Moncenisio, which involves the restoration of a historically and architecturally significant ruin; to the studio Bergmeisterwolf for the atmospheres created in Costruito interno – Casa p in the city of Bressanone; and to the studio Archisbang for the project We Rural Palazzo Valgorrera, likewise focused on a historic rural building.

The special mention for a designer under 35 went to the Alter Stadel Maireggerhof in Bolzano by architect Philipp Steger, who "carried out a sophisticated restoration of a farmstead through a contextual reconstruction of its space".