Australia’s first fully mass‑timber fire station, modelled in 3D, has been crowned the world’s best example of timber use for Public Infrastructure by Built by Nature in London yesterday after it beat out 400 international entries. Designed by Kim Baber of Baber Studio — who flew to London to accept the prize — the Maryborough Fire and Rescue Station was singled out for its innovation and sustainability credentials.
“This is a remarkable achievement which now gives this building international exposure as a leader in design and construction,” said Katie Fowden, general manager, corporate affairs at the Hyne Group, which supplied the glue‑laminated and cross‑laminated timber. “Congratulations to Kim and the project team, as well as the Queensland Government and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.”
Delivered through a market‑led D&C championed to the Queensland Government, the Maryborough complex proves mass timber can be “perfectly functional, not ‘showy’ and within budget” for public infrastructure, Fowden added. The project retained and restored a heritage brick façade for the Fraser Coast community while inserting roughly 500 cubic metres of Responsible Wood and PEFC‑certified mass timber from XLam and Hyne Timber to meet cyclone and fire performance requirements.
Independent analysis by Nezo estimated that the build saved approximately 1,742 tonnes of CO2 compared to a conventional equivalent, a figure central to the project’s Built by Nature submission under its Principles for Responsible Timber Construction. “It was really rewarding to see that effort translate into a timber building that’s so valued by both its users and the local community,” Baber previously said about his involvement in the project. “As architects and designers, we have a lot of responsibility to ensure selection of the materials we use — and the impact of the buildings we create — are managed in a responsible way.”
Wood Central understands the fire station will be one of dozens of international projects that will now be profiled in a documentary, Our Future: Built by Nature, produced by Open Planet Studios and narrated by Kevin McCloud, which includes appearances from Sir David Attenborough and Marina Silva, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change for Brazil, and will screen in São Paulo and at COP30 in Belém.
“This Prize celebrates the organisations driving real change around the world, transforming construction for a regenerative future,” Built by Nature CEO Paul King, who chaired the panel of judges, said. The ambition of this year’s winners and commendations speaks volumes about the progress being made in timber construction globally. These are not just buildings; they are bold, real‑world demonstrations of what’s possible when design, material, and purpose align with the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction.”
“These projects challenge outdated assumptions and show that timber is not only safe and sustainable, but also socially transformative,” judge Kevin McCloud said. “From fire stations to social housing, they prove that wood can be the material of resilience, beauty, and bold innovation.” Whilst fellow judge, Mae-ling Lokko added that “each of these projects shows how circular design and local ecosystems can come together to create buildings that are regenerative, inclusive, and deeply rooted in place.”
- To learn more about the Built by Nature prize and the 28 global timber projects that are now shaping responsible construction, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
