Spyre’s Watts & Wright development has become the first project in Queensland to achieve exemplary accreditation under the Nature-Based Cities (NBC) framework.

For Spyre, however, the milestone is less about chasing certification and more about formalising an approach already embedded within its design philosophy, according to Spyre design director Kent Pinel.

“We’re incredibly proud that Watts & Wright is Queensland’s first project to achieve exemplary accreditation,” Pinel said.

“For us, though, this wasn’t a pivot; it was a natural extension of how we already design.”

Pinel said the principles underpinning Nature-Based Cities—connection to landscape, purposeful design and a focus on liveability—closely aligned with the developer’s long-held ethos.

“We believe that architecture should elevate everyday life and that connection to nature is fundamental to that,” he said.

“This thinking is embedded from day one through the selection of design partners, the way we brief and how we rigorously challenge and refine design outcomes. NBC simply provides a framework that validates and sharpens what we already hold as good, responsible design practice.”

Refinement, not reinvention

While sustainability frameworks can sometimes be perceived as complex or burdensome, Pinel said the Nature-Based Cities process was structured and constructive.

“The process itself is structured, but importantly, it’s not prohibitive,” he said.

“Because these principles are already embedded in how we work, the scoring and documentation became a natural extension of the design process rather than an additional burden.”

▲ The project, designed by Spyre and Cavill Architects, prioritises quality over yield.

Working alongside an NBC ESD consultant, Spyre’s internal team mapped the project against the scorecard, creating what Pinel described as a valuable feedback loop.

“What was particularly valuable was identifying areas where we could push further, even within an already high-performing scheme,” he said.

“It became a genuinely productive exercise for the team—not just validation, but refinement. It sharpened our thinking and will continue to inform how we approach future projects.”

Designing for experience

Central to the Watts & Wright design approach was a prioritisation of living quality over maximum yield—a position Pinel said allowed the team to fully engage with frameworks like NBC without compromise.

“At Spyre, we prioritise the quality of the apartment and the living experience over pure yield,” he said.

“The accreditation reinforced decisions around deeper landscape integration, more considered materiality and a built form that responds to climate and environment in a meaningful way.

▲ Developer Paul Hameister has been spearheadig the Nature Based Cities framework in Victoria.

“These are not add-ons—they’re fundamental to how the building performs and feels.”

Rather than viewing sustainability measures as trade-offs, Pinel said they contributed to a more resolved and liveable outcome.

“The value is realised in the experience of the resident, not just the efficiency of the plan,” he said.

Market signals buyer appetite

The project’s performance in the market suggests that buyers are increasingly recognising and valuing this approach.

“Our buyers have always had high expectations—but that expectation is evolving,” Pinel said.

“There’s now a much greater awareness around environmental performance, landscape integration, and long-term wellbeing.”

Pinel said the project had achieved sales above market benchmarks and “environmentally conscious design is absolutely part of that story”.

But Pinel said it was also about long-term value creation and design responsibility rather than marketing.

▲ The project has achieved above market benchmarks, demonstrating appetite for environmental credentials.

He said many of the benefits of nature-based design only fully reveal themselves once a building is occupied.

“It’s the subtle things—the way landscape tempers heat, the sensory experience of planting, the seasonal change, the connection to outlook,” he said.

“These are qualities that can’t always be fully communicated off the plan, but they define how a home feels over time.”

Shifting the industry baseline

Looking ahead, Pinel said programs like Nature-Based Cities have the potential to shift industry expectations—provided they remain focused on tangible outcomes.

“We should all be striving for more sustainable and environmentally responsive development, but it has to translate into something meaningful for the end user,” he said.

“If these frameworks are applied with intent, they have the potential to become baseline expectations.”

“But that depends on how genuinely they’re adopted. The responsibility still sits with us to ensure the outcome is authentic, purposeful, and ultimately better for the people who live there.

“That’s a wonderful objective—and something I’d like to see more of industry-wide.”

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