From our archives: 2009 Overall Best Southern Region (Tasmania & Victoria) Award - McBride Charles Ryan - The Letterbox House

Things are getting frantic here at the Timber Development Association as the July 16 cutoff date for Australian Timber Design Awards registration draws near. Entries are rolling in, and staff are on the phone non-stop answering architect queries.

Some of the commonest questions we receive relate to the Awards judging panel. Contestants wish to know, in particular, who the guest architect judge is for 2010. Michael Green, principal of McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture (MGB), Vancouver Canada, has the spot: he will join the judging panel for the final selections prior to the announcement of winners at the end of October.

Michael brings weighty architectural credentials to the Awards. He has designed some of the world's larger airports, including Ottawa, Moscow and Washington DC's Reagan National; he and his partners at MGB have been nominated for the 2010 Marcus Prize in Architecture; and he is something of a timber specialist on the lecture circuit. Michael's commitment to timber -- not only as an architect, but as a carpenter, boat builder and millworker -- is what drew us to him. And we're not alone in this: Michael will be touring Australia in September as a lecturer for the WoodSolutions 2010 program of Forest & Wood Products Australia.

But the publicity that such high profile judges bring to the Awards (already a venerable, well-publicised competition) won't be any use to you if you don't submit an entry! So if you've got a project which you think could be a winner, check out the expanded range of entry categories (something there for everyone) and fill out a registration form today. Remember, entries close July 16!