The River Tay Boathouse in Scotland, designed by architects Barboza Blanco and crafted by Carpenter Oak, has won Private Housing Project of the Year at the 2025 Structural Timber Awards. The project showcases the beauty and performance of timber construction, combining sustainably sourced Douglas fir and larch with traditional pegged mortice and tenon joinery. Built within the masonry shell of a historic riverside boathouse, it highlights how contemporary timber craftsmanship can enhance both structure and setting — a celebration of design, material and collaboration.
The complex structural frame is made entirely from solid section green timber, with no metal connections and only traditional joinery techniques used; cut by hand by Carpenter Oak’s skilled team in their workshop. The timber was sourced from the adjoining woodland, with Belgian draft horses used to remove the chosen timber, making minimal impact on the forest.
The architect’s design uses the timber frame not only to support the new building, but as a sculptural structure which creates natural spaces for living in, as well as creating a relationship with the surrounding area that the material is sourced from. Read more about this award-winning project.
Carpenter Oak, who carried out the complex installation of this structure as well as crafting the frame, have over 40 years of experience in creating sustainable, exceptional and lasting timber framed buildings. With workshops in Devon and Scotland, they work across the UK, providing a truly bespoke service for residential and commercial clients.
Their talented team bring an essential understanding of the individual properties of the materials and the appropriate application of craft and design to every project, ensuring their trademark quality of build. They’ve worked with their customers to build a huge variety and scale of buildings including homes, extensions, boathouses, swimming pool buildings, wedding barns, school buildings & community facilities, historic buildings, and castle rooftops.