Botany Toyota

Who Said Commercial Structures Can’t Have Flare?

When the designers of the new Toyota centre in Botany wanted something a little more stylish than a concrete box or run-of-the-mill steel portal frame, they came up with an eye-catching solution using triangular engineered timber portal frames. This innovative form is achieved by leaning the fabricated LVL portals and tying them together along the rafter using specially shaped timber diaphragms.

Successful execution required precise bevelling and detailing to ensure efficient on-site assembly and installation. TimberLab achieved this by producing detailed 3D computer modelling and using their 5 axis CNC gantry machine to prefabricate all the components.

Portal legs are fabricated by gluing shaped LVL panels with side panels extended to allow the rafter members to slot between.

With rafters nail fixed into the top of the columns to form a rigid joint, and diaphragms fixed between the triangular portals, the free-standing frames make an impressive profile.

Portals are spaced at 8.4m centres and long span LVL purlins were fixed to the top of the portal frames.

Ready to receive the newest range of Toyota vehicles, these TimberLab fabricated portals bring a modern clean line cut to this highly visual facility.