Wednesday, March 24, 2010

101 Forest Nears Completion

Sierra Engineering Group served as the structural engineer of record for this office building designed by The Hayes Group Architects, located on the corner of Forest and Alma in downtown Palo Alto.

The structural system consists of a combination concentric braced frames and CMU shear walls in one direction and Special Moment Resisting Steel Frames in the other direction. The L-shaped building also required a seismic joint to separate the more flexible moment frame side of the structure from the more rigid CMU shear wall side. The Hayes Group design expresses the structural elements throughout the building, even exposing the exterior pipe columns along the Alma street elevation. As structural engineers we admit our bias to such systems as opposed to others where our work is hidden behind finishes. In a case like this our work not only has to address the structural requirements but the solutions also have to be particularly sensitive to their visible aesthetic impact. This would not have been successful were it not for a true collaboration between architect and structural engineer.

An intriguing blend of finish materials along with the large glass expanses create a uniquely distinct building with spacious, light interiors which should appeal to a wide range of potential tenants. We are very proud to have been a part of this process. The building is scheduled for completion in the next couple of months.

Posted by Jesus Sierra, S.E.



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