News & Events
OPEN WOODS & WORKSHOPS JUNE 2025
Open Woods and Workshops is a new national initiative by Woodland Heritage (Patron: HM King Charles) taking place throughout the UK to raise awareness of our indigenous woodlands, their sound management and the whole wood chain, whilst boosting engagement in the UK’s wood culture and connecting those that grow trees and use wood.
During June 2025, a variety of woodlands and workshops across the UK, from forestry estates, smaller woodlands and sawmills to artists’ and architects’ studios, furniture workshops and makers, will host open days. This is a unique chance to explore rarely accessible places and learn about the skills involved in working with wood and growing trees.
Trees play a vital part in our landscape and our well-being. Our futures are intertwined. Wood culture builds on our inherited wisdom and skills to honour our home-grown timbers. It connects people who grow trees, process and use wood to create beautiful items and spaces that offer longevity, functionality and joy.
On June 28th, there will be a full day of events taking place in West Dorset. All three events are designed to complement each other and tickets are still available for Victor Crutchley's woodland walk and tour of North Eggardon Woods.*
The day starts at Hooke Park, the Architectural Association’s woodland site in Dorset. The Architectural Association educates a new generation at the interface between forestry and architecture in buildings constructed from their 350 acre woodland campus.
Victor Crutchley's woodland walk and tour of North Eggardon Woods, follows on at 2pm. The walk features twenty-year-old cherry, chestnut, larch, oak, and red cedar, which have been high-pruned. The tour offers an opportunity to discuss ash dieback, small-scale felling and extraction, conversion and use of a variety of timbers.
The day rounds off at 4pm in Beaminster at the home and studio of renowned Designer and Furniture Maker, John Makepeace OBE. Visitors will see remarkable trees from British woodlands, seasoning for future commissions, and after tea in the house, John will talk about designing and making furniture for private clients using Britain’s wonderful timbers. You will also be able to view a collection of museum quality prototypes from previous commissions made for private clients across the globe.
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*Tickets for North Eggardon Farm Woodland Walk are available from Woodland Heritage/Open Woods and Workshops.
MAKE GOOD DISPLAY
MATERIAL CULTURES: WOODLAND GOODS
​Where: V&A, South Kensington, London
When: 26th November 2024 - 31st October 2025​
An exploration of how we can make fuller use of our woodlands, and work with the many materials they have to offer, in a sustainable way.
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For more more information please visit the V&A
MAKE GOOD: RETHINKING MATERIAL FUTURES
Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures is a V&A curatorial project that John supports. It was launched in 2022 and will run for ten years. It investigates the use of natural, renewable materials in design and architecture and invites practitioners from different fields to share research, knowledge and skills and considers the responsibilities of designers and consumers toward the natural world. The project encompasses an annual symposium, an annual display and an ongoing acquisition initiative, capturing the program's research outputs in the museum collection. ​
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For more information visit Make Good: Rethinking Materials
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John works closely with the following galleries and associations: