Promotion:  a treehouse-like holiday home and a sauna on wheels are among the four wooden architecture projects named winners at the Thermory Design Awards for 2023.

A high school and boutique hotel were also awarded prizes at the event, which is held every year by building materials supplier Thermory.

The annual awards programme celebrates the best projects around the world that have been created with Thermory's thermally-modified wood products.

"The Thermory Design Awards is an annual event that showcases the incredible architectural and design projects created with Thermory products," said the Estonian brand.

"It's about pushing the boundaries of what's possible with Thermory products and setting new benchmarks in wood architecture and sustainability."

This year's winners came out top in the four categories that make up the awards, which are Best Private House, Best Public Building, Best Interior and Best Sauna. They were selected from 75 projects from 19 different countries.

The products used in each project are Thermory's thermally modified woods, which are treated with heat and steam to ensure they are highly durable, rot-resistant and non-toxic, according to the brand.

A modular holiday home in Estonia named Piil was the winner of the Best Private House. Designed by local studio Arsenit and built by construction company Levstal, it is intended to resemble a treehouse.

Thermory praised the building's use of its Benchmark thermo-pine cladding, which it said "seamlessly harmonizes with its pristine natural surroundings".

"In the realm of nature-centric retreats, Piil emerges as an exquisitely conceived haven that elevates the concept of getaways to unprecedented heights, quite literally," it added.

Another winner in Estonia is Pelgulinna High School by local studio Arhitekt Must, which took the prize for Best Public Building.

Built by Merko Ehitus, the building is enveloped by Thermory Benchmark thermo-pine and is the "largest wooden structure in Estonia", according to Themory.

"A staggering 85 per cent of the building's supporting framework is crafted from wood," said the brand. "The jury lauds it as a monument in timber, celebrating the innovative and extensive utilization of this natural material."

Meanwhile, the Hay Boutique Hotel and Spa in Ukraine by design studio Yod Group took the award for Best Interior.

Thermory hailed the YOD Group's "restrained palette" and "intelligent design solutions", which included the specification of Thermory's Drift boards.

"The judicious use of Thermory Drift boards in tandem with raw wood forms a skilful dialogue, resulting in a cosy interior where material processing techniques enhance the overall quality of the space," said the brand.

"The visual impact of the design evokes a dreamlike ambience, transporting observers to a realm seemingly detached from reality – an aesthetic befitting a truly exceptional hotel."

The final winner is a sauna on wheels. Designed by Slovakian studio Woven and constructed by woodworking company Woodmaster, it is intended to be easily attached to a trailer.

It took the prize for Best Sauna for its use of the brand's sauna-specific wood products and for being "unexpected, fun and playfully designed", Thermory said.

This year's jury includes several Estonian architects including 3+1 Architects' Andres Ojari, Pluss Architects' Indrek Allmann, Tempt Arhitektid's Mihkel Urmet and Part's Sille Pihlak.

Thermory's development manager Hannes Tarn and sales director Katrin Reinaste-Parve also joined the panel.

For more information on the Thermory Design Awards, visit its website.

The photography is courtesy of Thermory Design Awards.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen as part of a partnership with Thermory. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.