Upper House is a striking new residential development located near the Southbank cultural precinct in South Brisbane.
Designed by Koichi Takada Architects (KTA), the tower takes inspiration from the organic forms of the Daintree Rainforest. Upper House is set to become a new benchmark in luxury apartments in the city, featuring Australia’s first double-storey rooftop wellness club for residents.
The stunning building stands out on the streetscape with fluid sculptural ribbons winding their way up the facade, referencing the roots of the Moreton Bay fig tree native to Queensland. On the rooftop, the ribbons twist and intertwine to become a shaded pergola for the expansive recreational spaces.
Theca Timber was involved in the project from the very beginning, participating in the tender with Minicon and consulting on the most cost-efficient way to build on the 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 special 3D technology from Theca’s European partners, along with over 1.6km of timber purlins for shading.
Additionally, Theca was awarded the design and supply of two 9-metre tall structures, called The Nests. Positioned on the 32nd floor of the tower, The Nests are rounded timber platforms forming a suspended parlour on top of the pool area, surrounded by an intricate freeform mesh of Ash Tree timber providing shelter and privacy.
Theca Timber’s scope included detailed design (up to LOD 400), structural engineering, certification, fabrication and delivery to site.
