Graeme John Thiedeke was born on 8 January 1942. He commenced part-time study towards a Diploma of Architecture in 1960 at the Central Technical College (now Queensland University of Technology) while working at Conrad Gargett. He graduated in 1966 and moved to Canada, where he worked in the Vancouver office of architect Arthur Charles Erickson. In 1968 he moved to Mexico, where he studied art, formed an architectural practice and started a ceramics factory. In 1975 he returned to Australia, recommencing work with Conrad Gargett until 1977. In 1978 he joined the Davis Heather Group, later forming a separate company with Bill Heather, The Heather Thiedeke Group. Thiedeke moved to Malaysia in 2000 and began working for the architectural firm McKerrell Lynch.