
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
Our Future: A New Film by Open Planet Studios
The six winners form the core of a new film, Our Future: Built by Nature, a new documentary by Open Planet Studios. The film follows the six winning projects and the value chains behind them to understand how change can be achieved in a sector responsible for nearly 40% of global emissions.
Our Future asks a single question: how can our homes, and the way we build them, become a key to solving the climate crisis? Narrated by Kevin McCloud, the film features global perspectives and includes appearances by Sir David Attenborough and COP30 President Marina Silva. The film will be screened at the Museum of Art in São Paulo (MASP) on 8 November and officially premiere later that month at COP30 in Belém.
Gallery images courtesy of Baber Studio. Photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.