A Primer on LA's Soft-Story Retrofit Ordinance
What Ordinance 183893 requires, which buildings are in scope, and what the retrofit process actually looks like from notice to sign-off.
Insights
Notes from the practice.
Occasional writing on structural engineering in Southern California — retrofit work, seismic code, and what early-stage engineering looks like on real projects.
When to Involve Your Structural Engineer (It's Earlier Than You Think)
On the math of bringing structural engineering into schematic design instead of design development — and why the pro forma benefits, not the engineering fee.
Seismic Considerations for Hillside Homes in the Santa Monicas
Hillside sites in the Santa Monica Mountains and foothill communities bring a specific set of structural problems. A short field guide for architects and developers working in this context.
Tenant Improvements: Working Within an Existing Structural Shell
Most LA tenant improvements inherit a structural shell that doesn't quite match the drawings. A note on how we approach the first two weeks of every TI engagement.