Category: Hub News

The ARC Advance Timber Hub is proud to celebrate the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station is one of six winning projects of the Built by Nature Prize 2025 — a global award recognising excellence and leadership in timber and bio-based construction.

Recognised for its exemplary integration of sustainable design, innovation, and responsible use of timber. The Built by Nature Prize celebrates projects that embody the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction — including sustainable forest management, life-cycle accountability, carbon storage potential, and the promotion of a timber building bioeconomy.

Selected from nearly 400 entries across 39 countries, 28 projects were shortlisted, and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station project won the Public Infrastructure category.

See All Winners and Commendations

See Shortlisted Public Infrastructure Category

 

 

Kim Baber, Principal Architect from Baber Studio was invited to London to accept the award.

“Winning this award for the design of the building is a true honour. To be one of only six winners internationally and taking out the Public Infrastructure category is a testament to mass timber in construction which I am incredibly passionate about.

“The great thing about this building, is it is entirely practical and within budget yet showcasing exceptional sustainability credentials. It can be done when designed specifically for the benefits of mass timber.

“Getting the right project team together was essential and I thank our project partners who came together tirelessly on this project. I would especially like to thank Katie Fowden from Hyne Group who initiated and led the innovative market led proposal with the Queensland State Government. I look forward to celebrating with all involved on my return to Australia” Kim said.

Kim Baber is also a Chief Investigator of the ARC Advance Timber Hub involved in ARC Advance Timber Hub Projects in the Value-Chain Innovation Research Node – 7.1 (Project Leader), 7.2 and 7.4.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station stands as an exemplar project of The University of Queensland’s Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS). The CFTS worked with Baber Studio, Bligh Tanner, Hutchinson Builders, Hyne Timber, and XLam, to design this Queensland Government market led landmark project showcasing the potential of timber.⁠ The project has helped change industry perceptions and challenge initial concerns over fire safety, illustrating the potential fire safety and sustainable outcomes of timber when used in significant infrastructure.⁠

The CFTS played a key role in the project’s development, including a full 3D scan of the existing structure to inform the design process and expert guidance from the UQ Fire team, which was led by Professor José L. Torero at the time. And during the construction of the project, a moisture monitoring campaign of the innovative CLT building was set up by ARC Future Timber Hub researchers from UQ’s School of Architecture (Dr Paola Leardini) and the QLD Department of Primary Industries’ Forest Product Innovation (FPI) team (Dr Maryam Shirmohammadi and Mr Daniel Field).

“This was the Southern Hemispheres first contemporary, engineered timber fire station and home to the regional operations, fully supported by fire engineering experts.

“It was strategically proposed to bust many myths about mass timber while also being located in Maryborough, aka, ‘timber city’ and our home since 1882⁠” said the Hyne Group’s General Manager, Katie Fowden.

“I would like to congratulate Kim Baber and Baber Studio for this international design recognition as well as the Queensland Government who approved the original proposal to proceed.”

⁠Established in 2015, the Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS) evolved into the ARC Future Timber Hub (2016–2021) and now the ARC Advance Timber Hub (2022–current) — continuing to drive world-leading research and industry collaboration to advance timber construction in Australia and beyond.

The Built by Nature Prize 2025, announced at the Built by Nature Summit in London on 16 October, highlights the world’s most responsible and innovative timber buildings — and this Australian project stands proudly among them.

For further information please see: Australian Timber Fire Station Shortlisted for Built by Nature Prize 2025 and Maryborough’s mass timber fire station wins international accolade

Gallery images courtesy of Baber Studio. Photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.

The ARC Advance Timber Hub congratulates our partner Scion on being recognised for its outstanding contribution to forestry science and innovation.

Scion’s commitment to advancing sustainable materials, timber design, and research excellence continues to set an international benchmark. This recent recognition highlights the organisation’s leadership in driving innovation within the forestry and timber sectors — from award-winning sustainable buildings like Te Whare Nui o Tuteata to groundbreaking scientific achievements across multiple disciplines.

As a partner in advancing timber and forest-based innovation, we are particularly proud of Scion’s achievements. Their leadership helps raise the global profile of timber science and sustainable forestry, while advancing the many opportunities for wood in construction, materials, and the bioeconomy.

On September 11 & 12 2025. the, ARC Advance Timber Hub (ATH) Director and 1990 Gottstein Fellowship recipient Prof Keith Crews  along with QLD DPI Forest Product Innovation Team Leader and 2024 Gottstein Fellowship recipient Adam Faircloth, were invited to present at the biennial Understanding Wood Science Course hosted by the Gottstein Trust in Canberra. The event that brings together industry, researchers, and fellows to share insights into the evolving role of timber and wood products in Australia’s built environment.

Professor Crews, delivered a presentation highlighting the intersection between novel technologies, wood design, and sustainability. He detailed how the ARC Advance Timber Hub’s work across eight nodes and 26 research projects is driving the transformation of timber into a central material for achieving a carbon-neutral built environment.

Professor Crews emphasised that the Hub’s research is not only pushing the boundaries of timber product innovation but is also directly contributing to Australia’s climate goals by demonstrating how engineered wood can replace carbon-intensive materials in construction. His address underscored the role of collaboration between academia, government, and industry in positioning timber as a cornerstone of sustainable design.

Mr Faircloth, went on to share findings from his recent international study tour, supported by the Gottstein Fellowship, see The Global Perception and Understanding of Vibration and Acoustics in Timber Structures, which is already informing the direction of Project 1.1 and Project 2.3 with Griffith University and QLD DPI. His research is helping understand the product specific factors that correspond to vibration, acoustic, damping performance on the dynamic and acoustic properties and manufacturing procedures of lightweight timber, mass timber, and hybrid floors.

Other Hub investigators who contributed as speakers at the event included:

• Kim Harris from AKD, presenting on Softwood Sawmilling

• Ralph Belperio from Aurecon, presenting on The Characteristics of Timber Suiting Major Projects

• Ian Blanden from Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA), presenting on How Australia’s Research & Development Assists Industry to Meet Challenges & Create Opportunity

• Dr Fabiano Ximenes from NSW DPI, presenting on Forests, Plantations, Wood Products & Australia’s Carbon Balance

• Professor Tripti Singh from University of the Sunshine Coast, presenting on Durable Timber – Nature Plus Nurture

The ARC Advance Timber Hub were proud to see several of its Partner Companies—inclusive of AKD, Aurecon, Forest & Wood Products Australia, Hyne Timber, NSW DPI and University of the Sunshine Coast supporting the course and contributing to its success.

Images courtesy of Adam Faircloth & Gottstein Trust. 

We invite you to take part in a short survey exploring current practices, challenges, and opportunities in hybrid steel–timber construction—particularly steel-framed buildings with timber floors.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and can be accessed here: Survey Link

This survey is part of a Royal Society-funded collaboration (IES\R1\251042) between the University of Surrey (UK) and the University of British Columbia (Canada). The project aims to capture region-specific insights into design, detailing, and construction, while also developing a shared database of steel–timber floor tests and numerical models. This database will support the creation of future design guidelines for these innovative systems.

The University of British Columbia is a partner of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, contributing to research projects such as:

• Project 1.3: New Hybrid Load Bearing System as an Incremental Step Towards the Adoption of Timber in Buildings

• Project 1.4: Fire Safety Design of Open Plan Timber Compartments

All responses are anonymous. However, participants may choose to leave their email address to receive project updates and a complimentary copy of the recent 300-page state-of-the-art review on steel–timber–(concrete) structures.

If you could also please share this invitation with colleagues who may be interested. Thank you for your time and support in advancing sustainable construction practices.

The ARC Advance Timber Hub congratulates its partner Arup, recently appointed by the Queensland Government to lead the integrated masterplan for the Victoria Park Precinct, a flagship project for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The revitalised precinct will feature the future Brisbane Stadium, a new National Aquatic Centre and the Athletes’ Village, establishing a vibrant destination for sport, recreation and community life. During the Games, Victoria Park will host the opening and closing ceremonies, with the Athletes’ Village accommodating more than 10,000 athletes and officials during the Olympics and over 5,000 during the Paralympics.

Arup & Timber Innovation: From ARC Future Timber Hub to Advance Timber Hub

Beyond their role in sports and precinct infrastructure, Arup has long been engaged in timber research and innovation in Australia. Arup was a formal partner of the ARC Future Timber Hub from 2016 to 2021, contributing to collaborative research into the viability of substituting EWP for steel and concrete in mid-rise buildings to drive down construction costs, improve occupant satisfaction and deliver healthy, low-carbon buildings.

Today, Arup continues that tradition as a partner of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, and are currently involved in 5 projects that are underway at the hub. Their involvement underscores a commitment not just to iconic urban design, but to sustainable, material-led innovation for the built environment.

Image courtesy of the Queensland Government

The ARC Advance Timber Hub is proud to advise that the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station, which is an exemplar project by The University of Queensland Centre for Future Timber Structures, has been shortlisted for the Built by Nature Prize 2025, celebrating the projects and people driving a global transformation in timber and bio-based construction.

This prize celebrates responsible timber construction around the world, and is open to completed buildings predominantly made of timber and bio-based materials.  “We are honoured to be among the 28 shortlisted projects, selected from nearly 400 applications across 39 countries and jurisdictions”, said Kim Baber, who is the principal architect for the project from Baber Studio and Chief Investigator of the ARC Advance Timber Hub.

The 28 shortlisted projects were assessed against the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction—a common language and global framework to ensure that increased demand for wood is managed responsibly.

These principles are:

-Extending the life of existing buildings
-Accounting for Whole Life Cycle
-Ensuring Sustainable Forest Management
-Maximising the carbon storage potential of wood
-Promoting a timber building bioeconomy

The projects reflect a wide range of typologies—from housing, education, and workplaces to industrial facilities and public infrastructure—demonstrating the diversity and innovation in today’s timber construction sector.

From these projects, six winners and six commendations will be revealed at the Built by Nature Summit in London on 16 October.

Centre for Future Timber Structures

The Centre for Future Timber Structures (CFTS) was established in 2015 through a partnership between the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture & Fisheries (now known as the Queensland Government Department of Primary Industries) and The University of Queensland (UQ). This initiative grew into the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Timber Hub (2016-2021) and now the ARC Advance Timber Hub (2023 to current).

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services North Coast Regional Headquarters and Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station is considered an exemplar project by UQ’s Centre for Future Timber Structures which carried out a full 3D scan of the existing structure bringing a range of intellectual property to the design team.

The principal architect for the project is Kim Baber of Baber Studio.  Mr Baber, was also involved in the project as a Chief Investigator (CI) of the CFTS / ARC Future Timber Hub (representing UQ), and is now a CI for the ARC Advance Timber Hub. As of July 2025 he is now a CI of the ARC Advance Timber Hub, representing Bond University.

Professor Carlo Prato, former Head of the UQ School of Civil Engineering, emphasised during the official opening of the site back in April 2021, how the project embodies the immense potential for success that the CFTS pursues, “I cannot think of a better example of the heights that industry and research institutions can achieve when they join forces to pursue their dreams of making sustainable buildings a reality. And similarly, I cannot think of a better symbol of the importance of having architects and engineers work together to the design of the future of sustainable built environment.”