Photograph of exteriors of the award-wining Daramu House designed by Tzannes with International House Sydney in the background
Photograph of recycled Australian hardwood columns on concrete base at the colonnade of the award-wining International House Sydney designed by Tzannes

International House Sydney and Daramu House

Gadi Country / Barangaroo

Client Lendlease

Stage Completed 2017 / 2019

Twin exemplars of low carbon architecture

International House Sydney (IHS) is the first engineered timber office building in Australia. Together with Daramu House, it has proven to the Australian commercial market that timber is a viable low carbon alternative to concrete, and highly desirable as a property investment.

IHS and Daramu House create an iconic presence at the north-eastern gateway of Barangaroo. They are the result of an aspirational brief from Lendlease that reflects a shared commitment to sustainability, placemaking, and innovation.
The structure above ground and mezzanine, including floors, walls, columns, roof, lift shafts, and stairs, are constructed from ethically sourced CLT, (cross-laminated timber), Glulam, and LVL (laminated veneer lumber) spruce timber as well as recycled Australian hardwoods. This results in approximately 50 percent less embodied carbon when compared to a conventional concrete structure. Structural and façade elements are prefabricated, further minimising construction waste and allowing fast, efficient, and safe installation procedures.

The indoor environment reflects the innate visual beauty, textural tactility, and calming scent of timber – a natural material that evokes a human response and connection rarely experienced in commercial properties.
Mass timber technology facilitates easy adaptation, which enables evolving needs of tenants to be more easily accommodated. The architecture is also designed for easy disassembly for the complete reuse of all timber at the end of the commercial life of the investment, if necessary.

Optimisation of mechanical systems and a precinct-wide passive heat exchange utilising harbour heat rejection, also enabled large reductions in the buildings’ operational energy use. The exceptional green credentials and biophilic design attributes underpin the commercial success, commercial marketability, and investment profile.

Set in a densely developed new harbourside precinct, the design concept includes the creation of engaging and useful public spaces for events, art, performance, and outdoor food-oriented experience. Shaded public seating, including special gathering spaces, are connected by a significant timber colonnade of recycled ironbark, echoing Sydney’s marine heritage. An improved pedestrian network is the result of better solar access and decreased negative wind effects, and contributes to the identity and success of the precinct.

IHS and Daramu House are exemplars of a new type of enduring beauty for architecture to contribute to a more sustainable future for our cities – one that applies advances in science, technology, and engineering to enhance interior amenity, as well as to deliver place and city making design objectives.

Project team

Directors

Alec Tzannes

Jonathan Evans

International House Team

Dijana Tasevska

Tony Lam

Chi Melhem

Lily Tandeani

Amanda Roberts

Dustin Cashmore

Wenxi Ren

Carl Holder

Luke Novotny

Lyndsey Fitz-Gerald

Linda Kennedy

Daramu House Team

Dijana Tasevska

Tony Lam

Kimberley Merlino

Chris Taylor

Devonne Coll

Karina Dorman

Kate Stanistreet

Lyndsey Fitz-Gerald

Matilda Gollan

Nicholas Cheung

Nico Locane

Nicole Larkin

Peter Langford

Rena Wang

Sarah Reid

Photograph of eastern façade of the award-wining International House Sydney designed by Tzannes
Photograph of exteriors of the award-wining Daramu House designed by Tzannes

We are the pioneering architects for mass timber commercial buildings in Australia. International House Sydney has set a global benchmark for sustainable construction and proven to be a successful commercial investment.

Evening street view photograph of the award-wining International House Sydney designed by Tzannes
Photograph of entrance lobby to the award-wining Daramu House designed by Tzannes
Roof plan of International House Sydney and Daramu House showing integrated solar and green roof
Photograph of recycled hardwood and concrete Y column adjacent to colonnade and through site link
Photograph of recycled Australian hardwood columns on concrete base at the colonnade of the award-wining International House Sydney designed by Tzannes
Photograph of mass timber structure and bracing bays through curtain wall glass

When compared to a standard concrete commercial building, a cumulative environmental benefit of 240 per cent was demonstrated when Daramu House was also included in the assessment. This demonstrates that mass timber construction is an essential part of a future economy that is less carbon intensive.

Photograph of typical internal commercial floor with exposed ceiling and services revealing mass timber structural floors and framing
Elevation drawing of award-wining International House Sydney and Daramu House designed by Tzannes
Section drawings of the award-wining Daramu House designed by Tzannes
Photograph of the award-wining Daramu House art wall
Photograph of sculpted curtain wall façade at northern end of Daramu House which signals the gateway condition at the northern end of the Barangaroo Precinct on Hickson Road
Photograph of exposed timber fire stair which also serves as intertenancy stair
Photograph showing 5 storey timber truss on eastern façade and entrance lobby of the award-wining Daramu House Designed by Tzannes
Photograph of two storey colonnade at International House framed by recycled Australian hardwood, glulam and CLT

Collaborators / International House Sydney

  • Timber Structural Engineer

    -

    Lendlease DesignMake
  • Concrete Structural Engineer

    -

    Arcadis
  • Head Services Consultant

    -

    AECOM
  • Mechanical Engineer

    -

    AECOM
  • Electrical, Lighting & Comms

    -

    AECOM
  • Hydraulic & Fire Services

    -

    Warren Smith & Partners
  • Fire Engineer

    -

    Defire
  • ESD

    -

    Lendlease
  • Acoustic Engineer

    -

    Wilkinson Murry
  • Facade Engineer

    -

    Surface Design
  • Photography

    -

    Ben Guthrie

Collaborators / Daramu House

  • Principal Builder

    -

    Lendlease Building
  • Timber Structural Engineer

    -

    Lendlease DesignMake
  • Concrete Structural Engineer

    -

    Arcadis
  • Mechanical Engineer

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Electrical, Lighting & Comms

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Hydraulic & Fire Services

    -

    Warren Smith & Partners
  • Fire Engineer

    -

    Warringtonfire
  • ESD

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Acoustic Engineer

    -

    Wilkinson Murray
  • Facade Engineer

    -

    Inhabit
  • Photography

    -

    Ben Guthrie / Brett Boardman

Awards / International House Sydney

  • 2019 / Property Council of Australia / Property Council of Australia’s Rider Levitt Bucknall NSW Development of the Year / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / World Architecture Festival / Best Use of Certified Timber / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / Urban Task Force / Excellence Award for Sustainable Development / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / AIA (NSW) / Milo Dunphy Award for AIA Sustainable Architecture / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / AIA (National) / National Award for Commercial Architecture / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / Urban Development Institute / Excellence in Commercial Development / Commercial Architecture
  • 2017 / The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies / The International Architecture Award / International Architecture
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Sustainability
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Australian Timber Design
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Public or Commercial Building
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / People’s Choice

Awards / Daramu House

  • 2021 / The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies / The International Architecture Award / International Architecture
  • 2021 / The Chicago Athenaeum International Museum and European Centre for Architecture / Green Good Design Award / Sustainable Design
  • 2020 / Good Design Australia / Good Design Award / Architectural Design Interior Design
  • 2020 / AIA (NSW) / NSW Chapter Award / Commercial Architecture
  • 2020 / Wood Solutions Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Public or Commercial Building
  • 2020 / AIA (National) / Commendation / Commercial Architecture
  • 2020 / AIA (NSW) / Commendation / Sustainable Architecture
Project details

Client Lendlease

Awards / International House Sydney

  • 2019 / Property Council of Australia / Property Council of Australia’s Rider Levitt Bucknall NSW Development of the Year / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / World Architecture Festival / Best Use of Certified Timber / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / Urban Task Force / Excellence Award for Sustainable Development / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / AIA (NSW) / Milo Dunphy Award for AIA Sustainable Architecture / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / AIA (National) / National Award for Commercial Architecture / Commercial Architecture
  • 2018 / Urban Development Institute / Excellence in Commercial Development / Commercial Architecture
  • 2017 / The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies / The International Architecture Award / International Architecture
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Sustainability
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Australian Timber Design
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Public or Commercial Building
  • 2017 / Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / People’s Choice

Awards / Daramu House

  • 2021 / The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies / The International Architecture Award / International Architecture
  • 2021 / The Chicago Athenaeum International Museum and European Centre for Architecture / Green Good Design Award / Sustainable Design
  • 2020 / Good Design Australia / Good Design Award / Architectural Design Interior Design
  • 2020 / AIA (NSW) / NSW Chapter Award / Commercial Architecture
  • 2020 / Wood Solutions Australian Timber Design Awards / Excellence in Timber Design / Public or Commercial Building
  • 2020 / AIA (National) / Commendation / Commercial Architecture
  • 2020 / AIA (NSW) / Commendation / Sustainable Architecture

Collaborators / International House Sydney

  • Timber Structural Engineer

    -

    Lendlease DesignMake
  • Concrete Structural Engineer

    -

    Arcadis
  • Head Services Consultant

    -

    AECOM
  • Mechanical Engineer

    -

    AECOM
  • Electrical, Lighting & Comms

    -

    AECOM
  • Hydraulic & Fire Services

    -

    Warren Smith & Partners
  • Fire Engineer

    -

    Defire
  • ESD

    -

    Lendlease
  • Acoustic Engineer

    -

    Wilkinson Murry
  • Facade Engineer

    -

    Surface Design
  • Photography

    -

    Ben Guthrie

Collaborators / Daramu House

  • Principal Builder

    -

    Lendlease Building
  • Timber Structural Engineer

    -

    Lendlease DesignMake
  • Concrete Structural Engineer

    -

    Arcadis
  • Mechanical Engineer

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Electrical, Lighting & Comms

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Hydraulic & Fire Services

    -

    Warren Smith & Partners
  • Fire Engineer

    -

    Warringtonfire
  • ESD

    -

    Lendlease Applied Insight
  • Acoustic Engineer

    -

    Wilkinson Murray
  • Facade Engineer

    -

    Inhabit
  • Photography

    -

    Ben Guthrie / Brett Boardman