Pioneering Timber Construction in the Heart of Australia

Daramu House in Sydney, together with its sister building, International House, stands as a striking example of innovative timber architecture and successful international collaboration among the involved companies. Strategically located next to International House Sydney—the country’s first commercial multi-storey office building constructed from timber—Daramu House sets new standards in modern construction.

Connection to Nature and Architectural Vision

The name "Daramu"—meaning "tree" in the language of Australia’s Indigenous people—reflects the project's deep connection to nature. As a result, timber was deliberately chosen as the primary building material for both projects.

Technical Innovation Meets Practical Application

This six-storey office building, offering 10,000 m² of commercial space in Sydney’s Barangaroo South precinct, demonstrates the power of advanced timber construction technology. At the heart of the project are the revolutionary composite beams—a further development of the technology first used in the adjacent International House Sydney. These innovative glued laminated timber (glulam) composite elements, in combination with beech laminated veneer lumber, allow for large and numerous openings without compromising load-bearing capacity, clear heights, or requiring additional steel reinforcements. This innovation was first implemented at International House Sydney, the nation’s first commercial multi-storey timber office building.

Global Expertise, Local Execution

The project’s international scope is evident in its precise logistics: the pre-fabricated glulam components were shipped from Germany to Australia by sea and assembled on-site. This approach enabled a remarkably short construction period of just seven months to completion. A total of 2,290 m³ of glulam, made from spruce and beech, was delivered by the HASSLACHER Group through its subsidiaries HESS TIMBER GmbH and HASSLACHER Holzbauteile GmbH & Co. KG in Kleinheubach, Germany, providing tailor-made solutions for this highly demanding project.

Award-Winning Architecture with International Recognition

Led by general contractor Lendlease Australia and architect Tzannes, Daramu House has already received several prestigious awards, including the Australian Timber Design Award for Commercial Architecture 2020, the Green Good Design Award for Architecture 2021, and The International Architecture Award for 2021 by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

A Trailblazer for Sustainable Building

Daramu House exemplifies the future of commercial construction, demonstrating how innovative timber technologies, renewable materials, and precise execution can yield outstanding results. As a flagship project of the HASSLACHER Group, it showcases the company’s international competitiveness and technical expertise in advanced timber construction solutions.

Articles and Reports

Barangaroo’s timber tower achieves completion in 7 months"" (architectureanddesign, 04/2019)

Awards:

AIA (NSW) Architecture Award for Commercial Architecture 2020
AIA (NSW) Commendation for Sustainable Architecture 2020
AIA (National) Commendation for Commercial Architecture 2020
Australian Timber Design Award for Commercial Architecture 2020
Green Good Design Award Architecture 2021
The International Architecture Award for 2021 by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies