Net Zero Carbon Buildings

We created Theca Timber as a brand of Theca Australia to become the point of reference in Australia for consulting designers and engineers as well as to provide full supply of eco-sustainable, prefabricated, engineered timber structures. To help the construction industry to fight climate change by using net zero embodied carbon solutions like mass-timber is our mission.

Theca Timber represents the natural evolution of our expertise in the timber construction sector where we started to operate since 2016. Offering services that range from managing the design process completely to offering consultancy and design services to our Corporate Clients, our versatility is one of our strengths. Being a crossover company with a broad access to the European industry of timber products manufacturers and representing one of the largest glulam and timber solutions manufacturer, Rubner Holzbau, in an industry where singularity is the norm, means that we are the right partner for a diverse kind of projects.


While promoting and marketing innovative solutions to the entire local industry, meaning Developers, Architects, Engineers, Specialist consultants and Builders, we make sure that right from the beginning Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) is progressed to create cost efficiencies in value engineering. Theca Timber can provide technical support and advises during design, full structural design, certification according to AS standards, installation sequences, total supplying of a prefabricated structure with deliveries straight to jobsites and technical assistance during erection.

Building a better world, together.

Italy

Australia

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What we do

FULL STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Full structural design: our scope involves taking the conceptual design for the mass timber structure prepared by the Architect and completing the structural design and detailing to a standard to allow shop drawing and construction.

Structural calculation and verification according to EuroCode and BCA.

Development of the structural set of documents, either for tender or for construction, meaning 2D Drawings, Installation Sequences, AXO Views and progressing an accurate 3D model until is locked and approved.

SHOP DRAWINGS

Shop drawings of the entire timber structure and all types of connections from base to top and in between timber elements.

List of elements, both for steel and timber, as to say the list of every individual part for the Manufacturer to transfer into CNC drawings.

FABRICATION

Complete fabrication of Glulam (Spruce, Larch, Fur, others) and CLT (Spruce) elements according the highest quality standards and using raw material coming from FSC and PEFC certified sources. All elements, bespoke detailed for each job, can be CNC-cut and prepared (paint finish, treatments, etc.) for a bolt-together structure/building shipped to site.

Fabrication of be-spoke, project-based steel elements and components if need be, or supplying of standards connections systems and tools from reputable sources.

Factory pre-assembly of steel elements and hardware onto timber for a minimized installation work on site, for a quick and safe assembly with a conscious use of lifting equipment.

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON SITE

Transport to site being in charge of the goods straight from the European factory all through the dock landing and custom clearance in Australia, until the jobsite. Our expertise in shipping oversize elements is second to none and we can evaluate it job-specific to improve the building aesthetics, enhance a quick assembly and reduce costs.

Technical presence on jobsite as supervisor during the entire installation or a portion of it.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Project Manager located in Australia through the entire project to be the point of contact at any time. The PM monitor the process from design to completion and all resources are coordinated targeting at the agreed deadlines and quality standards.

ADDED VALUES

One-stop-shop approach, one Supplier from Design to Delivery

Bespoke detailing and connection options

Pre-Assembly

Ship to site Logistics and Storage

Just in-time Site Delivery

Cost advantage due to Economy of Scale

current-slide/Total

Corinda (Brisbane)

St Aidan’s Sport Hall

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Brisbane

Upper House

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Sydney

Fish Market

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Sydney

Eric Tweedale Stadium

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Batemans Bay, NSW

Bay Pavilions

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Canberra

Stromlo Leisure Centre

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Melbourne

Chadstone Link

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Sydney

Marrickville Library

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Modular Roofing Structure

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Theca Australia Pty Ltd

17 The Concord

Bundoora 3083 VIC

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The “Chadstone Link”, a stylish and weather-protected walkway, links the Chadstone Shopping-Center to the new office tower “Tower 1” and to the new MGallery of the Sofitel-Hotel Group.

On a length of 110 metres, the spaciously designed and multi-purpose area in one of the largest shopping centres of the southern hemisphere provides manifold possibilities for exhibitions and many other events. The 31 differently dimensioned and individually formed timber arches made of glued laminated timber elements by Rubner Holzbau harmonically connect to the arched glass roof of the adjoining building complex and reach, at their highest point, a height of 15 metres. A highly translucent PTFE-cloth positioned on top of the glued laminated timber structure provides for lots of natural light.

  • Client: Hickory Group
  • Architect: MAKE
  • Services: Detailed design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2019
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Nested in a green park in the Cumberland City Council, West Sydney, the new Eric Tweedale Stadium, named after a “living legend” of the Australian Rugby, is a new construction of a Grandstand for 750 spectators with change rooms, multipurpose room, office, amenities, community function room, canteen, kitchen and a covered viewing deck.

The construction is part of the development of the rugby field that is home to Two Blues Rugby Union Club and will be visited by thousands of sport fans during rugby season. The timber structure that was detailed designed by Rubner Holzbau form part of the top floor of the grandstand and is cantilevering for over 8 mt on top of the seating. With a footprint of about 1.000 sqm, the structure was segmented for transport in container with concealed, factory-assembled connections for a pleasant aesthetic outcome and a guarantee of a quick erection.

  • Client: Belmadar
  • Architect: DWP
  • Services: Detailed design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site, Technical assistance on site
  • Completion: 2021
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In the Australian suburb of Marrickville, the listed building of the former hospital was preserved and restored to now form part of the newly built library. This newly created library has been defined as multi-purpose community facility whose innovative design combines the most state-of-the-art technologies and sustainability.

To be able to execute this project, 54 round columns had to be built with different lengths reaching from 3 to 9.3 metres. Trimmed and round milled on a CNC-controlled machine installed in the Rubner factory, some 90% of these timber columns support the roof structure of the building - an oversized floating canopy roof inspired on the old hospital roof. Five additional timber columns simultaneously bear the load of one part of the roof and of the façade including the railings. These columns provide an open space feeling since the library’s main atrium, which allows to take a glance at the major areas in the newly installed three-storey building, hardly has any suspended ceilings.

  • Client: CD Construction Group
  • Architect: BVN
  • Services: Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2019
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Stromlo Leisure Centre is an aquatic centre built to serve the local community of Molonglo. Nestled below the Mt Stromlo Observatory on an important landmark site within Stromlo Forest Park, the new facility includes an eight lane 50-metre lap and competition pool, 20m learn to swim pool, slides, a toddler’s pool and splash park, gym and fitness studio, a café, creche and swim store.

For the main building with a footprint of about 5,400 m² Rubner Holzbau in partnership with Theca Australia has provided the entire roofing structure, from full structural design and engineering, to shop drawings, manufacturing in the factory of Bressanone, shipment to site and finally technical assistance during erection.

  • Client: Kane Construction
  • Architect: Cox
  • Services: Detailed design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site, Technical assistance on site
  • Completion: 2019
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Theca has designed and engineered a swimming pool modular roofing structure. These modular builds, which are engineered on the bases of a regular rectangle with a dozen combinations of widths and lengths to suit any type of outdoor pool area based on the properties of engineered timber construction.

Their executive design can be easily extended or reduced in size thus immediately adjusting to changing requirements. The 100% prefabrication of this basic structure reduces construction periods compared to conventional construction methods.

  • Client: -
  • Architect: -
  • Services: Detailed design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site, Technical assistance on site
  • Completion: 2020
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An iconic new gateway for the region, the Batemans Bay Regional Aquatic & Arts Leisure Centre, is set to become a drawcard for sports, tourism and regional arts programs.

The new center, featuring an ecologically sustainable development principles design, is composed of two distinct pavilions. One houses three pools, a gymnasium and waterslide tower, while the other boasts a 350 retractable seating black box theatre, rehearsal room and art studios. The streamlined central building connecting the two pavilions complete the building with main reception, foyer and administration areas. We provided over 140m3 of spruce glulam treated with a coating suitable for pool environments. The maximum span of the longest elements is 33mt, split into three smaller parts for transport reasons. The original design was calling for a bow-string type of hybrid beams, with a solid flat top glulam part and a tension cable below. We were able to execute the design intent by adapting each dimension for load verification, manufacturability and ease-of-installation. The outdoor pergola is equipped with bespoke 3D bended glulam elements (beams that are freeform bent in two directions) that represents the waves of the nearby ocean, and also the Architect signature on the job.

  • Client: ADCO
  • Architect: NBRS, Donovan Payne Architects
  • Services: Detailed design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2021
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Destined to become one of the most significant social and tourist destinations in the city, the new Sydney Fish Market represents a flagship project of the New South Wales government, that will support tourism and the fishing industry, creating a world-class landmark.

Located in Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont, two kilometres west of the business district of the capital of New South Wales, the Sydney Fish Market is the third largest fish market in the world. The 65,000 square metre renovation project was commissioned from Danish design firm 3XN, working with local architectural firms BVN, GXN Innovation and landscape architect Aspect Studios. It will take about 1,600 m3 of spruce glulam, over 150 tons of steel and all the know-how of Rubner Holzbau to manufacture the large roof that floats above the new Sydney Fish Market, connecting all the elements of the structure in a unique elegant movement that gives the building an iconic presence. The building's roof is an integral part of the new Sydney Fish Market's iconic design, but also a standard bearer for its sustainability strategy. It is in fact designed to collect rainwater for reuse, for the potential production of solar energy. Its unique shape uses the winds to extract warm air and protect workers from the southerly winds. The canopy, made of wood and aluminium, is designed to be as permeable as possible, minimizing the need for air conditioning while diverting direct sunlight. The triangular openings allow plenty of natural daylight into the building, while their orientation shields the building from the sun during the hottest hours.

  • Client: Multiplex
  • Architect: 3XN/BVN
  • Services: Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2024
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Upper House is a breath-taking new residential tower in South Brisbane, designed by Koichi Takada Architects and inspired by the forms of the Daintree Rainforest. It’s set to become a new benchmark in luxury apartments in the city, featuring Australia’s first double-storey rooftop club.

The fluid sculptural ‘ribbons’ of the building set it apart in the streetscape and wind their way up the facade in reference to the roots of the Moreton Bay fig tree native to Queensland. At roof level, the ribbons twist and intertwine to become a shaded pergola for the generously proportioned recreational spaces. Theca Timber was involved from the very early beginning, participating in the tender hand-in-hand with Minicon and consulting on the most cost-efficient way to build what, before then, was a concept design. The continuous interaction and collaboration with KTA resulted in a Siberian Larch glulam pergola made of slim, load-bearing main ribs, featuring double- and triple-bent elements fabricated with a 3D special technology from our European Partners, and over 1,6 km of timber purlins for shading. Further to the scope above, Theca Timber was awarded the design and supply of two 9mt tall unique structures, called The Nests. Positioned at the 32nd floor of the tower, The Nests are timber rounded platforms forming a suspended parlour on top of the pool area, surrounded by an intricated freeform mesh of Ash Tree timber providing shelter and privacy.

  • Client: Minicon
  • Architect: Koichi Takada Architects
  • Services: Detailed design up to LOD400, Structural Engineering, Certification, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2022
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Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre is a swimming centre that serves the Darebin City Council community. When the previous facility reached the end of its life after more than half a century service to the community, the Council decided to build a brand new, eco-sustainable centre targeting for net zero emissions.

Warren and Mahoney, the Architect, and TTW, the Structural Engineer, designed a glulam roofing structure featuring 31mt long beams, bracing and secondary elements, and the entire ceiling structure formed by a cassette system. Together with our partner Rubner, we were contracted by Kane Construction, the General Contractor, to consult for the most efficient timber structure based on the architectural model, and to bring the tender design to fruition by including as much as possible prefabrication factor into the supply. Most of the timber connections and 100% of the ceiling cassette were factory assembled in Italy, resulting in a quick installation with millimetre precision.

  • Client: Kane Construction
  • Architect: Warren and Mahoney
  • Services: Executive Design, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2023
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Located in the heart of Darling Harbour on Sydney’s CBD fringe, once upgraded, Tumbalong Green Stage will accommodate a rich space for mixed community events and entertainment uses.

The upgrade includes raising the performance stage, new lighting system and AV equipment, but the star of the project is undoubtedly the construction of a new steel and glulam timber structure, with membrane roof on the top. The concept design is done by Hassell, while the preliminary engineering and the full 3D modelling is to be completed by Sydney-based structural engineer TTW. Theca Timber task, through its specialist consultant team of timber professionals, is to bring the design to manufacturability, transportability and ease of erection. The complexity of the structured is pictured by numbers, with over 200 timber members of different dimensions, shape and connections, and north of 800 bespoke steel connections. Last to be considered is that the supply of the entire structure for which Theca Timber has been contracted to happen in record time, just 4 months after 100% design definition. In fact, project completion is due in time for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup, which is going to gather hundreds of football fans and passionate in front of the mega-screens installed under the shell.

  • Client: Kane Constructions
  • Architect: Hassell
  • Services: Detailed design up to LOD400, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2023
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The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust nominated Melbourne-based studio Searle x Waldron Architecture to design their new multi-purpose, operations depot located in Sages Rd. Aimed to be a new gathering place for employees, including offices, meeting rooms, lunch room, collaboration Spaces, an Auditorium, as well as vehicle parking, workshops and storage area, the building was designed as a series of parallel glulam trusses, having different heights and shapes, using CLT to create the first floor slabs and a series of stairs connecting ground to first floor. Walking corridors through the building are designed under the V shaped trusses diagonals, and they had to be closely coordinated together with the services running through the timber structure.

Theca Timber was requested for a full service of consulting through the design, targeting for the respect of the Architectural Design, and the optimisation of the trusses for production and assembly. Our Team engaged different manufacturers to coordinate suppliers from several sources, creating an LOD400 model ready to be declined into machine files for the hi-tech CNC robots governing the production of complex glulam connections.

  • Client: Sages Road Depot
  • Architect: Searle x Waldron Architecture
  • Services: Detailed design up to LOD400, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2023
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Ambiwerra is the sportsground of St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School, also in the suburb of Corinda on Brisbane’s southside.

The physical education centre comprises an indoor multi-sports hall and education centre to be followed by a 50-metre swimming pool, learn-to-swim pool and change facilities. The components are laid out to converge on a central café and courtyard, encouraging students to participate in different sports. The indoor sports hall is designed to open up to both north overlooking parkland and to Oxley Creek to the south for views and natural ventilation. It is designed to be a Glulam structure, with an arbour forming a sunshade canopy protecting the northern edge. Theca Timber was requested to detail-design the engineered-timber structure of the sport hall within a short notice, providing a tight timetable and a strict milestone for the delivery to site. Our full team focused on the best way to transform the tender design into the most efficient model possible, delivering a full 3D model for production and assembly, to be used for coordination with all other trades. A total of 135m3 of Spruce Glulam were provided, for portals spanning 23mt, featuring tapered columns and beams.

  • Client: St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
  • Architect: Blight Rayner Architecture
  • Services: Full structural engineering, Detailed design up to LOD400, Certification, Fabrication, Delivery to sit, Technical Assistance on site
  • Completion: 2023
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Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre is a swimming centre that serves the Darebin City Council community. When the previous facility reached the end of its life after more than half a century service to the community, the Council decided to build a brand new, eco-sustainable centre targeting for net zero emissions.

Designed by the specialized sports architecture firm Warren and Mahoney in their Melbourne office, the centre includes an enhanced outdoor 50m pool, indoor lane pool, warm water pool, leisure pool, splash pad and learn to swim pool. The fitness and wellness facilities include multi-purpose spaces for group fitness and yoga, a fitness centre, and consulting rooms for allied health professionals. Materials and systems have been selected to minimise the carbon footprint during construction and reduce energy use during operation, targeting at an amazing 6 Star Green Star rating. A large solar panel roof array provides a significant portion of the energy for the building. The glulam timber structure as well as the entire ceiling structure formed by a cassette system, factory assembled and featuring visible battens, provides sustainability benefits, as well as low maintenance and a welcoming aesthetic.

  • Client: Kane Constructions
  • Architect: Warren and Mahoney
  • Services: Design consultancy for optimization of materials, detailed design up to LOD400, Structural Engineering, Fabrication, Delivery to site
  • Completion: 2022