This paper presents a direct displacement-based design (DDBD) approach for the buckling restrained braces (BRBs) braced glue-laminated timber (glulam) frame (BRBGF) structures. First, the critical design parameters of the DDBD approach were derived for BRBGFs. Then, using experimentally verified numerical models, pushover analyses and nonlinear time-history analyses (NLTHA) were conducted on a series of one-storey BRBGFs to calibrate the stiffness adjustment factor λ for BRB-timber connections and the spectral displacement reduction factor η. Finally, the DDBD was verified as a prospective approach for the seismic design of multi20 storey BRBGF buildings by NLTHA of the case study buildings.