- TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 17/Aug 23:24

Richard Stanton award has impact

For architect Kim Baber, Principal of Baber Studio, being awarded the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award for his work on the timber-rich Maryborough Fire Station was an opportunity to highlight what’s possible when working with sustainably sourced materials. Source: Timberbiz “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,” Mr Baber said. With nominations for this year’s Richard Stanton Award now closed, Mr Barber believes the recognition of awards like this one play a broader role in promoting better practice across the industry, with leadership in timber design grounded in accountability. “It’s not just about recognising good design practices. We need to understand where materials are coming from, that they’re being used properly and how that’s going to impact the future life of the building – and the footprint of the resource extraction from the current environment,” he said. A cyclone-rated emergency services building, the Maryborough Fire Station is estimated to contain approximately 500m3 of Australian grown timber from Responsible Wood-certified softwood plantations. The result of many years of advocacy to the state government, the project was a collaborative effort between Mr Baber’s firm, Kim Baber Architects, Hyne Timber, XLAM and Hutchinson Builders. “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,” Mr Baber said. Fittingly, the $2000 bursary he received for his award win was put towards a trip to Japan to present at a Tohoku University seminar series focused on resilient timber design, and how mass timber can be used in buildings designed for extreme weather events. “In Japan, their focus is often seismic resilience but they’re also facing typhoons and tsunamis. We were able to share insights into designing for cyclonic conditions here in Australia, I was able to put my bursary towards making that trip happen,” Mr Baber said. The Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award recognises the winner with a $2000 bursary for work like: Significant and valuable contributions to sustainability Innovation, improvement, or excellence in sustainable forest management or the fabrication, supply, or utilisation of certified forest products Strong commitment to the principles of sustainable forest management Innovation and improvement in promoting Responsible Wood and/or PEFC-certified products.