Frequently Asked Questions & Hints
On this page, you will find answers to commonly asked questions and hints about how to enter the Australian Timber Design Awards.
Our FAQs & Hints
The sections below outline the key date for the Australian Timber Design Awards.
Head to the online competition portal and register your details. From here you will then be able to start a project submission and complete the online forms.
When choosing your entry’s award category for the competition, go with your strengths! For example, if a new single-family dwelling features mainly timber coverings and little or no structural timber use, it may be better suited to the Interior Fitout – Residential Class 1 category rather than the Residential Class 1 – New Building category. Nonetheless, if you feel that your project would be a front-runner in both categories… then enter it in both categories!
Entry/registrations usually open in the first quarter of each year. The date to be confirmed and announced. Please check the Dates & Fees page.
High-Res Images
The same images submitted as low-res for the judging process must also be submitted in high-res format as these will be published in our Awards eMagazine and forwarded to various media outlets on demand. The specifications required are:
Dimensions:
Each photo image pixel dimensions must either be 1600x1200pix (for quarter page Awards eBook layout); or 2400x1600pix (for half page Awards eBook layout), with a resolution of 300ppi.
File Size:
Each photo image file size should not be more than 10 MB (megabytes).
Supported File Types:
jpeg/jpg/pdf
Yes, just include it/them as a photo with the photo submissions. The file type should be pdf for plans. The only stipulation for plan images is that the uploaded plans and drawings must not have any identifying markings such as company name or address.
Registering for the competition is free. Active participation involves completing a category questionnaire and payment of a processing fee.
Note: Administration fees may apply on top of entry fees for changes to entries made after the closing date.
Presentation Night: Complimentary Presentation Night tickets are no longer included in the entry price. Tickets for entrants and guests are sold separately at a date to be announced at the close of the competition.
Refunds & Additional Charges: Entrants are not eligible for a refund if entries do not meet the requirements as outlined in the Conditions of Entry or if they are withdrawn after the closing date (please refer to the key dates on the awards webpage).
Your completed questionnaire and project images will be used by judges to assess your project, so please make clear why your project’s use of timber is extraordinary. Further information may be sought by the judges if required.
Nonetheless, choose your categories carefully. Judges are looking for something exceptional, so ensure the project has this within it.
For example, if you enter into any of the Timber Products categories, timber must be used or featured in a unique way that makes it stand out. If it is used in a traditional or standard way, then it may not rank well.
When choosing your Awards categories, go with your strengths. For example, if a new single-family dwelling features mainly timber coverings and little or no structural timber use, it may be better suited to the Interior Fit-out Residential Class 1 category than Residential Class – New Building. If you feel that the project would be a frontrunner in both categories… then enter it in both categories!
If you are not sure that the categories listed cover your project or you need help in choosing an Application category, please contact us.
The People’s Choice Award competition is intended to raise the profile of the Australian Timber Design Awards participants within the general public and the built environment industry. We intend for participants, friends, family, and industry affiliates to cheer our Australian Timber Design Awards participants on and show their support for our Awards!
About the Award
The People’s Choice Award has been held annually since the year 2000 and is open yearly once the blind judging is completed for the Australian Timber Design Awards (ATDA). The People’s Choice Award have always included all the categories of the ATDA.
How do I enter the People’s Choice Awards?
Entry into the Award is part of the entry into the ATDA. For example, all active participants in the Australian Timber Design Awards are automatically included in this award.
Who will see my entry?
Your entry will be visible to anyone who visits the People’s Choice Award competition app page. This will include members of the public and anyone who you persuade to vote for you.
What information will a voter be able to see about my business?
We only display your project name and the first six photos you submitted for the Timber Design Awards category. A summary of your project will also be viewable when voters click the hyperlink from the project name.
How do I get people to vote for me?
We send out an announcement email to our eNewletter subscribers with instructions.
People’s Choice Award Voting
The People’s Choice Award competition voting link can be shared via social media or email, so you can promote your entry. We advise that you use your social networks, email signature, website, etc. to encourage others to vote for you. The more work you put into persuading others to show their support, the more votes you are likely to get. We also encourage members of the public to vote. If you are the winner then your business name will be revealed at the annual Australian Timber Design Awards Presentation Night and your entry will be published in the Winners Gallery on our website.
How many times can someone vote?
It is intended to have a single registered vote per person only. All voters will have to log in via social media with their email to vote for your entry.
What happens if someone tries to vote twice for an entry?
It is not possible to click twice on the “vote” button, and thus choose your entry carefully. .but you can vote via your different social media profiles!
Can I vote for myself?
Every competition participant can vote as well. It’s a fair guess that most entrants will vote for themselves, so why shouldn’t you?
Who knows who voted for whom?
You need to log in to vote. Entrants have no idea who voted for them, or even how many votes they received. Even the administrators of the Australian Timber Design Awards will not see any personal details or anything else to identify you per se. The judges are not involved with and do not have access to any data about the People’s Choice Award.
Who wins the People’s Choice Award?
The winner is the entry with the most votes. Our Judges are not involved in judging this category. It is what it says – chosen by “the people”.
Only the winners of the ten Timber Design Class categories will be considered for the overall Australian Timber Design Award. The judging panel will bestow this award on the entry that they consider to be foremost among all entries.
The Timber Design award categories, the Merits awards categories, and the People’s Choice Award are the most coveted. The top award is, of course, the Overall Winner.
The judging panel usually includes at least an architect, an engineer, an interior designer and a builder, but will not be limited to just these professions. This broad representation across professions ensures that winners excel in all aspects of design. In addition, guest judges may be included.
The judges change from time to time and remain anonymous during the process. Judges are not chosen until after the entry process completion date has passed to avoid conflict of interest issues.
Separate industry panels, which may include sponsors, will assist in the selection of winners for the Product awards categories.
The general public will choose the winner of the People’s Choice Award via an online poll.
Judges are looking, in particular, for innovative and context-suitable timber use.
The judging process is blind, please don’t include your company name in any written text, image titles or in your project name. Any inclusion of the company name may result in the information or image not being submitted for review by judges.
When writing your design statement, make sure that every sentence addresses timber use. Tell us why your use of timber is exceptional. Also be clear on what species or timber product is being used, where it is being used and why.
Don’t just target one or two Recognition Awards categories. These categories are judged independently of each other, so a good entry may win several Recognition Awards. This is an important feature of the competition.
In our experience, judges respond very favourably to well-written entries and images that highlight the use of timber, both structural and decorative.
Our Hints
- Keep your average sentence length under 20 words.
- Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.
- Keep paragraphs short.
- Use proper capitalisation rules – and do not capitalise for emphasis.
- Try to avoid the passive voice.
- Images should be high-quality and should feature timber elements.
- Judges also favour construction shots, as timber use is often hidden by coverings.
A project that has previously been entered into the Australian Timber Design Awards may be entered again. It may not, however, be considered for any entry category into which it was previously submitted.
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