Projects

Config Projects

Architectural and artistic visions come in all shapes and sizes. Eric Elsesser, one of the founders of Forell | Elsesser, always stressed the importance of what he liked to call “the art of engineering,” and we continue to bring a sense of artistry to structural engineering solutions, especially when working with unusual structures.

Having worked with world-renowned architects and sculptors, we know how to customize our approach to match even the most unusual structures out there. If you can dream it up, we can make it a buildable reality.

Unusual Structures


<p>Paul Rodler has been with the firm since 1986 and is a Senior Principal and past COO of Forell | Elsesser. His straightforward approach to design is directly linked to his keen awareness of issues surrounding the constructability of buildings. He focuses on ease and economy of construction while creating buildable structural solutions for his clients.</p>



<p>As COO, Paul developed the company’s information technology systems to support Forell | Elsesser’s advanced BIM capabilities, and continues to help advance the firm to the leading edge of technical advancements within the industry. He also advocates for Integrated Project Delivery techniques to enable the efficiency and fast pace of design-build projects. Through his embrace of advancements in project design and delivery methods, Paul has made valued contributions to the success of numerous civic, education, healthcare, and data center projects. Paul is a licensed structural engineer in California and Missouri. He has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Stanford University.</p>



<p>Paul can be found enjoying his passion for open-wheel car racing when he is not busy finding solutions to engineering challenges.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC)</li>
</ul>


Senior Principal

Paul Rodler

Millenium Park, Chicago, Illinois

Cloud Gate “The Bean”

UCSF Mission Bay Whiteread Sculpture (designed, not built)


<p>As Director of Business Strategy, Allen Nudel is a Principal and a member of Forell | Elsesser’s executive leadership team. Allen is a licensed Structural Engineer and has been with the firm since 2000. In addition to project work, Allen’s role includes overseeing the firm’s business development activities, new market sectors, new clients, and geographic expansion. With over 25 years of experience, Allen’s greatest strengths are a love of teaching and facilitating understanding between engineers, architects, and contractors. Constantly striving for mutual understanding makes him an excellent communicator and effective engineer.</p>



<p>Allen’s dedication and expertise throughout all phases of design and construction leads to successful, on budget project deliveries that achieve programmatic and design goals. He excels in client relations, drawing coordination, specifications and construction administration. He has a particular interest in collaborating with architects to maintain exposed structure of buildings. His wide range of experience includes education, institutional, commercial/corporate, athletic facilities, performing arts, multi-family housing, and tenant improvement projects. Allen is&nbsp;a licensed Structural Engineer in California, Arizona, and Colorado. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master’s degree from UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>When Allen is not busy at work, he enjoys completing home renovation projects, spending time with his wife and two young daughters, and following pro baseball.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Professional Associations</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Former Co-Chair and member, Sustainable Design Committee</li>



<li>City of Hope Real Estate and Construction Council, Northern California</li>



<li>Berkeley Unified School District Construction Advisory and Bond Oversight Committee</li>



<li>San Francisco Planning &amp; Urban Research&nbsp;Association (SPUR)</li>
</ul>


Director of Business Strategy

Allen Nudel


<p>As an Engineer, John thrives in integrating his analytic mindset with a keen interest in the manner with which people interact with their environment. This is exemplified through a range of previous work experiences across multiple civil engineering fields and an interdisciplinary design project working on short term housing solutions with the City of San Jose and Habitat for Humanity as an undergraduate at Santa Clara University.&nbsp; As a graduate student at Stanford University, John turned his attention to improving his structural engineering knowledge base, particularly focusing on earthquake resistant design and sustainably built structures.&nbsp; His studies into sustainable materials and Life Cycle Assessment practices allow him to better assess the impact of structural engineering and construction practices on people and the environment.</p>



<p>When not working, John is an avid endurance athlete, having run on Santa Clara University’s cross country and track team.  When not running, he can be found outside biking, hiking, and enjoying a good game of bocce ball in the park. He also enjoys music and cooking.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Professional Associations</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC),</li>
</ul>


Engineer

John O’Hagan

How do you take a 100 year old decommissioned passenger ferry boat and create a beautiful floating urban office space that will last the next 100 years?

Klamath Ferry Boat, Tenant Improvement


<p>As Director of Technical Excellence and a member of Forell | Elsesser’s executive management team, Principal Steve Marusich is responsible for growing the technical health and reputation of the firm. In this forward-thinking role, Steve leads the research, development, and adoption of new systems and technologies, particularly in the areas of seismic design, resilience in the face of natural hazards, and the reduction of embodied carbon. He is also responsible for the overall technical training of the staff and the quality of our analytical and design solutions.</p>



<p>In his 20 years as a licensed engineer, Steve has developed a systematic approach to evaluating potential design options while balancing performance, cost, schedule, and constructability to develop high-value solutions for his clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;Steve has also managed or consulted on many of Forell | Elsesser’s base-isolated projects over the last decade, including the retrofit of Pasadena City Hall and the new UCSF Ray &amp; Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building.&nbsp; Due to his extensive knowledge and experience in new, existing, and historic construction, Steve is also sought after to consult on structural engineering plan check and peer reviews.&nbsp; Steve received a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a Master’s degree from UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>When away from work, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, travel, golf, basketball, hiking, and exploring new restaurants.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of&nbsp;California (SEAOC), Member</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Member</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Member<br>American Institute of Architects (AIA), Professional Affiliate</li>



<li>Lean Construction Institute, Member</li>
</ul>


Director of Technical Excellence

Steve Marusich


<p>Lindsey is a California licensed Structural Engineer and Principal with Forell | Elsesser. She joined the firm in 2006. Her strength is in working collaboratively with clients to provide practical engineering solutions for their architectural visions while incorporating sustainable elements into the design.</p>



<p>Lindsey has worked on a variety of retrofit and new construction projects including multi-family housing, laboratories, and athletic facilities. She has exceptional knowledge and passion on the subject of sustainable design and has lectured and presented on the subject nationally. She serves as an advocate for green building practices and has written numerous reports and papers about the structural engineer’s role in sustainable design. Lindsey received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from UC Berkeley where she is currently serving as a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Advisory Board.</p>



<p>When Lindsey is not working, Lindsey enjoys running competitively for the Olympic Club and cross-country skiing around Lake Tahoe.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Advisory Committee</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Housner Fellow &amp; 2016 Convention Chair</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California’s (SEAONC) Board Member</li>



<li></li>



<li>Structural Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Member</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Awards</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>2013 SEAONC Zacher Award Recipient</li>



<li>2012 EERI Housner Fellows Program</li>
</ul>


Principal

Lindsey Maclise


<p>With the firm since 1984, Mason is a Senior Principal at Forell | Elsesser. One of Mason’s most effective roles at the firm is orchestrating teams of engineers to leverage their varied areas of expertise, and quickly develop solutions to even the most complex problems. He constantly explores solution concepts and ideas that are outside the norm, leading to unexpectedly elegant and efficient solutions–a practice he encourages with those he mentors. Mason has also had success in crossing lines between engineering disciplines and construction processes to improve existing structural engineering methods to the benefit of F/E’s clients.</p>



<p>As a well-known industry leader, Mason is a resource for in-house staff and colleagues. His engineering expertise includes such diverse areas as sustainable concrete mix design, seismic isolation of new and historic buildings, long-span bridge design, and performance-based seismic design of steel structures. He excels at the analysis, testing, and design for unusual projects that fall outside the scope of traditional building codes. In the early 1990’s, he developed specifications and testing requirements that were used for the U.S. Court of Appeals seismic retrofit in San Francisco, the first federally funded seismic isolation project.&nbsp;Mason is&nbsp;a licensed Structural Engineer in California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and licensed Professional Engineer in D.C. Mason earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master of Engineering degree in Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics from UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>Mason’s recreational interests include hiking, fly fishing, cinema, metalworking, and carpentry.  He sometimes integrates the latter two interests into his structural engineering practice by building physical models of structures and structural hardware to quickly enhance the clients’ and colleagues’ grasp of complex structural concepts.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>University of California Office of the President Seismic Advisory Board (Charter Member, Chair 2017-2022)</li>



<li>Caltrans Seismic Advisory Board</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC), Solar Photovoltaic Systems Seismic Committee, Voting Member</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Director (2003-2005); Convention Technical Committee, Former Co-Chair;&nbsp;Program Committee, Former Chair; Subcommittee on Protective Systems;&nbsp;Subcommittee on Non-Building Structures</li>



<li>American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)</li>



<li>International Association for Bridge &amp; Structural Engineering (IABSE)</li>
</ul>


Mason Walters

How do you design a building that encourages creativity and inspires art?

Stanford University, McMurtry Art & Art History Building


<p>Simin Naaseh is a Senior Principal, and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Forell | Elsesser. She previously served as the firm’s CEO until August 2020. Simin is a recognized leader in the A/E/C industry and has devoted much time serving in leadership positions in many professional organizations. She thrives on building strong relationships with clients and colleagues and applies this strength internally to foster a collaborative working environment. She enjoys design-build projects and is a Designated Design-Build Professional (DBIA). Simin has an interest in large-scale and complex projects particularly because of their intrinsically collaborative nature. With a history of managing both large and small projects since 1983, Simin also recognizes that the key to a project’s success is working closely with clients to create a customized solution to suit each client’s goals, whether that means attention to seismic performance, cost-effectiveness, or a fast schedule.</p>



<p>Under her leadership as former CEO and president, Simin deepened the firm’s traditions of technical excellence and exceptional service and reinvigorated its long-standing tradition of investing in research and development. Simin’s special interest in advancing the firm as one of the most innovative structural engineering firms in the nation is shared by the new generation of firm leaders who continue to advance this goal. Simin is invested in mentoring the firm’s young staff, with an emphasis on supporting women and minorities to develop as leaders in the firm. Simin received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Azar Abadegan in Tabriz, Iran, and a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.</p>



<p>When she is not busy with contributing to Forell | Elsesser’s success, Simin can be found hiking, cooking with her family, or indulging in her passion for music.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Fellow, Past-President</li>



<li>Design-Build Institute of America, Western Pacific Region (DBIA WPR), Board Member</li>



<li>OSHPD Hospital Building Safety Board Member (HBSB), Former Member 2008-2016</li>



<li>American Institute of Architects, San Francisco&nbsp;(AIASF), Former Public Board Member</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Member</li>



<li>San Francisco Planning + Urban Research (SPUR), Member</li>



<li>California Preservation Foundation (CPF), Past Trustee</li>
</ul>


Simin Naaseh

How do you build a state-of-the-art facility on the side of a hill, in a tight space, on a tight schedule?

UCSF Parnassus Ray & Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine

How do you create a gathering space for SF Giants fans across from AT&amp;T Park using recycled shipping containers?

The Yard at Mission Rock

How do you create a gathering space for coffee lovers in a dense urban area using a recycled shipping container?

Red Bay Coffee


<p>René Vignos is a Principal and licensed structural engineer at &nbsp;Forell | Elsesser. After entering the firm in 1999 and after more than two decades of experience, he is still invigorated by the challenge of creating the most elegant, inspired engineering solutions possible to translate an architect’s vision into a constructible reality.</p>



<p>As &nbsp;Forell | Elsesser’s Chief Operations Officer, René Vignos serves as part of the executive management team that guides the firm as a whole in addition to his responsibilities overseeing the operations of the core engineering practice.&nbsp; His skills in organization, administration, and collaboration serve him well as one of the leaders of the firm.</p>



<p>René has developed broad engineering skills in new design and retrofit, with a specialty in preserving and protecting historic landmark structures. He is currently providing state-of-the-art structural engineering design services for the complex rehabilitation and seismic strengthening of the historic Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This project involves the unprecedented base isolation and retrofit of a massive unreinforced stone masonry structure. In addition to his cultural facilities experience, he also works on athletic facilities, education facilities, national laboratory facilities, and overseas earthquake reconnaissance efforts. René is a licensed Structural Engineer in California, Utah, Oregon, and Wyoming. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree from the University of Texas, Austin.</p>



<p>In his downtime he enjoys tinkering with home improvement projects, camping with his family, and following the latest NHL hockey game.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>San Francisco Code Advisory Committee, Structural Subcommittee</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>University of California at Berkeley, Seismic Review Committee</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Protective Systems Committee, Past-Chair &amp; Member</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Member</li>
</ul>



<p></p>


Chief Operating Officer

René Vignos


<p>Masume is a Principal and licensed Structural Engineer at Forell | Elsesser who brings over 16 years of experience and a breadth of knowledge that includes all major construction materials for educational, cultural, laboratory, and commercial buildings. She is proactive in her problem-solving approach and always looks at an issue from different perspectives to find the most appropriate solution.</p>



<p>Masume possesses a broad skill base in the seismic analysis of structures including linear, nonlinear, static, and dynamic analysis techniques. She has experience with foundation design including various piling systems, pre-stressed and reinforced concrete design, steel design, viscous dampers, and Buckling Restrained Braced Frames (BRBF). She has particular expertise in data analysis and advanced computer modeling of buildings. In particular, her modeling of earthquake loading is used to demonstrate structural capacity and pinpoint the deficient areas of a building requiring retrofit work. Masume earned a Bachelor’s degree from Sharif University of Technology in Iran, and obtained Master’s degrees at both the University of Arizona and UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>Masume enjoys hiking, yoga, and Persian calligraphy. She is passionate about what she does—so much that she recently finished a seismic hazard analysis on her own home.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Continuing Education Committee Chair (2009-2010)</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)</li>



<li>San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association (SPUR)</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Recent Awards</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Giles Scholarship Recipient (2010)</li>
</ul>
