our services
We are structural engineers who believe that collaboration with like-minded building professionals is the key to improving the quality of the built world. We are structural engineers but really designers first. We do not stop at preconceived notions of constructability and economy but investigate novel and innovative ways of reducing cost and increasing efficiency, boldness and elegance. This is why we exist - to do quality work and enjoy the doing. This is evident in over 1000 successfully built projects we have designed in last 15 years (Founded in 2008). Our strong relationships with architects, contractors, fabricators, and engineers allow us to provide better design services to the client.
NEW BUILDINGS AND ADDITIONS
We design buildings - all types, from single family homes to mid-rise buildings. We have designed multi-story wood frame residential structures on steel podium levels over parking. We have also designed dozens of new museums, new theaters, and new institutional buildings with various structural systems including steel, wood (conventional, glulam and heavy timber), concrete, light-gage metal, glass, and masonry. We have designed projects using economical light-gage metal LGMF bearing walls with composite steel joists, composite steel systems, as well as precast over CMU walls. We also use the FEM / BIM / Revit / etc software as analysis and communication tools of our work. All of our work is completed using Revit and we share our 3d model to the clients and GC for help during construction administration. In Dec 2008, we published “BIM and the Structural Engineering Community” in Structure Magazine related to Revit as a very effective design and coordination tool. The 3D, parametric capabilities offered by BIM allow the team to better understand and communicate the design, resulting in a better coordinated and more economical building. We can also help with detailed design of stairs and connections.
STEEL CONNECTIONS AND STAIRS/RAILINGS
Structures Workshop, Inc offers steel connection engineering services to fabricators for both structural steel and misc metal projects ranging from 20 tons to 10,000 tons. We love this work and have developed sophisticated connection software for bracing, moment and shear connections. We design stairs and railings as well as other misc metals items. Generally working for the fabricator directly, we produce calculation packages with clear details and tables. We can leverage the BIM platform Revit to import and export IFC and SDS/2 models (or other) to coordinate calculations with shop drawings prepared by the detailer.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
We have been involved in dozens of important rehabilitation and reuse projects, as well as additions to historic structures. In Providence, some notable projects include the Providence Journal Building, the Arcade, the Old Stone Bank, 270 Westminster, Laptham and the Kresge Building. We have also done several others in NYC (Upper West Side) and Boston (Fenway Park, Harpoon Brewery). Some of these buildings consist of archaic structural systems such as draped mesh, waffle, terracotta arches, and cast iron. We study old buildings with our extensive book and material library at our office.
SPECIAL STRUCTURES
We have designed shipping container buildings, large fabric canopies, cantilevered steel decks, and glass elevators. We have designed king-post glu-lam truss systems with steel rods and clevises. We have designed stringer-less hung stairs, temporary movie screens, long-span steel trusses, flat plats, and cable structures. In other words, we enjoy designing all different types of unique structures.