SEAONC August Dinner Meeting Featuring Facebook West

Facebook West

Steve Marusich and Susan LaFore will be presenting our Facebook West project, designed by Gehry Partners, at the SEAONC August Dinner Meeting on Tuesday, August 4 from 5:30-9:00PM. This 420,000 s.f. project was designed to house approximately 5,000 employees in “One Big Room” in Menlo Park. Designed and constructed under an accelerated schedule, the project opened Spring 2015.

Our SEAONC August Dinner Meeting will highlight the unique design challenges we faced in executing this exciting project, from schematic design through construction administration. To purchase tickets for the event, please visit SEAONC’s event page.

For more photos of the project, please visit Architectural Record from August 2015 or from April 2015.

Posted July 2015

Stanford University McMurtry Art & Art History Building

The McMurtry Building on the Stanford University Campus is the new home of the Department of Art and Art History along with the Art and Architecture Library.

Customized Solution

The new 90,000 gross s.f. steel framed structure houses faculty offices, classrooms, film screening, photography, digital arts, art studios, informal exhibition spaces, and the library.
The goal of the project was to integrate the various artistic programs scattered throughout the campus while providing a dynamic and collaborative learning environment.
The design utilizes two interconnected threads that support separate art-making and art study programs. These threads consist of opposing long-span steel trusses that create a central column-free courtyard on the ground floor. The library and other communal space between the threads provide dynamic interaction opportunities between the two programs.
The building’s location adjacent to the Cantor Center for the Arts will also encourage collaboration with its neighbor.

F | E Hosts Pathways for Kids / CARE 2015

Pathways for Kids / CARE April 2015 Visit

F | E hosted Flex Academy through Pathways for Kids and CARE, programs designed to expose students to a variety of career possibilities. Simin Naaseh, Carolynn Smith, Christopher Tung, Dwight Evans, Yousif Yousif, Mei Kuen Liu and Keith Chung spoke to the Flex Academy to expose the students to an education and a career in the structural engineering field.

“The presenters spoke at length about the importance of structural engineering in building bridges and buildings that are able to withstand the erratic shaking of powerful earthquakes. Such a discussion helped students to understand just what being a structural engineer entailed. Students were fascinated to hear about the equipment, materials and building techniques it takes to make buildings and bridges safe during devastating earthquakes and other natural disasters… The staff were extremely supportive in helping us expose the underserved students to various careers in engineering.”

“I was able to learn the difference between a Bachelors’ and Masters’ degree. I was able to learn how I can set in motion the steps of what I want to be.” – Steven Quincy O’lbel, a Pathways for Kids participant.

To read the full article Pathways for Kids June 2015 article, visit this page.

If you’re interested in sponsoring Pathways for Kids, please visit their website.

Posted July 2015

STRUCTURE Magazine: “Seismic Isolation – The Gold Standard of Seismic Protection”

“Seismic Isolation – The Gold Standard of Seismic Protection,” from Forell | Elsesser’s Mason Walters, was published in the July 2015 Structure Magazine.

In STRUCTURE Magazine, Mason discusses the realities of seismic isolation and, more specifically, performance-based seismic design which started to develop in the early 1990s. “By definition, isolating a building from seismic shaking is the most effective way to protect not only a building, but its occupants, contents, and its function.”