The newly completed 90 Devonport Road in Tauranga stands as New Zealand’s largest mass timber office building, housing approximately 1,000 Tauranga City Council staff under one roof. Techlam is proud to have played an important role in this stunning eight-story structure that achieved 6 Green Star design accreditation and reduced its all-of-life carbon footprint by more than 60% compared to conventional structures.
Techlam supplied over 58m³ of glulam products, with the standout feature being the 600mm x 600mm exterior structural glulam columns. These columns, of varying lengths with the longest reaching 7.8 metres, form a key visual and structural element of the building’s design.
“Glulam is truly a premium product, especially well-suited for columns and beams. It’s excellent for external applications and offers significant visual appeal,” noted Edward Chambers from LT McGuinness, the project’s main contractor. “Among high-tech mass timber products, glulam stands out as the premium choice.”
The exposed glulam columns provide structural integrity while contributing to the building’s biophilic design. This design aligns with Te Papa principles developed by tangata whenua, featuring mana whenua artistic expressions from Te Kahui Tōī, including tuneable facade lighting reflecting Mauao (Mt Maunganui) and 11 metre facade art panels.
From the project’s earliest stages, Techlam was deeply involved in the process, working with Willis Bond, the design team Warren and Mahoney architects, Dunning Thornton Consultants, Beca engineers, and timber suppliers such as Red Stag and Nelson Pine.
“Techlam was truly at the forefront with their skillset,” explained Chambers. “They brought everyone together. We all looked at the model, and it was important for everyone to agree. Techlam’s advanced ability to pull up 3D images meant that everyone could easily understand the elements.”
This collaborative approach enabled early clash detection and ensured seamless assembly sequencing, contributing to the project’s successful completion on time and within budget.
The precision manufacturing of Techlam’s glulam elements enabled efficient prefabricated assembly rather than traditional on-site construction.
“The precision of Techlam’s glulam elements enabled us to move towards manufacture and assembly, rather than manufacturing on site,” Chambers observed. “As long as there’s good collaboration and materials arrive on time, this method is extremely efficient compared to in-situ construction. As a builder, the biggest advantages are speed, efficiency, and safety. Larger mass timber elements can be installed in one piece with fewer people, meaning less risk because you require fewer people on site or at heights. It’s much tidier, cleaner, and quieter than, say, building a large concrete wall with scaffolding and people working at height.”
The selection of Techlam glulam aligned with the project’s ambitious sustainability goals. “You always get a real passion from the clients when sustainability is involved,” explained Roy Hamilton, Techlam’s Director of Sales & Projects. “It was fantastic to collaborate and realise this ambition together.”
The successful completion of 90 Devonport Road demonstrates that glulam delivers both structural performance and aesthetic appeal for large-scale commercial buildings while achieving world-class sustainability credentials. The project sets a new benchmark for sustainable, mass-timber construction in New Zealand.
Read our Case Study here.
