Forell Elsesser provided structural engineering services for the new 460,000 sq. ft. four-story office building designed by Gehry Partners. The entire building has an open atrium space with various landscape balconies. The open space allowed for various individual floor plans to weave throughout the building. The building connects with neighboring Facebook campus buildings through multiple pedestrian bridges, which required extensive site work

How do you accommodate a 700-foot long open atrium into an integrated floor plan?

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.



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.



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.



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



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

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City Main Temple, Seismic Retrofit

Dignity Health, Saint Joseph’s Hospital Patient Pavilion, Women’s & Children’s Center

Meta, MPK 21

Meta, MPK 20

Baker & Hamilton Building, Adobe HQ

Utah State Capitol Seismic Retrofit

Oregon Supreme Court, Modernization and Seismic Retrofit

LBNL, Building 33, General Purpose Laboratory

USF, John Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation

UCSF Mission Bay Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Hall

Oregon State Capitol, Seismic Retrofit

University of California, Berkeley, Simpson Training Center

UC Berkeley California Memorial Stadium Seismic Upgrade

UC Berkeley, Blum Center for Developing Economies

UC Berkeley Barker Hall Seismic Upgrade

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

California Maritime Academy Simulation Center

California Maritime Academy Dining Center & Bookstore Complex

Build Change Haiti Reconstruction Effort

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rooftop Garden

San Francisco Planning + Urban Research (SPUR) Urban Center

Meta, MPK 22

Chief Operating Officer

René Vignos

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.



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.



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



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Professional Associations</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 American Institute of Architects (AIA), Professional Affiliate</li>



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

GSA, James R. Browning, U.S. Court of Appeals Building

Kenneth Hahn, Hall of Administration, Seismic Retrofit

San Francisco State University, George and Judy Marcus Hall for the Liberal and Creative Arts

San Francisco Olympic Club

Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center

San Rafael Corporate Center

Pasadena City Hall, Seismic Retrofit

UCSF, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision

UC Berkeley Maximino Martinez Commons

Stanford University, McMurtry Art & Art History Building

San Francisco State University, Mashouf Wellness Center

California State University, Sacramento, The WELL Center

UCSF Parnassus Ray & Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine

Parkview Terraces, Senior Housing

Congregation Beth Sholom

Tulare County (Porterville) Courthouse

UCSF Parnassus Clinical Sciences Building

Director of Technical Excellence

Steve Marusich

As Director of Engineering Operations, Geoff Bomba is a Principal and a member of the Forell | Elsesser’s executive management team. Geoff helps drive business growth through resource planning and ensuring efficiency and creativity of our delivery methodology. Using cutting-edge performance-based design methodologies, Geoff develops engineering standards, systems, and quality controls that enhance Forell | Elsesser’s forward-thinking approach to bringing architectural visions alive. He maintains our high bar for exceptional work through a consistent embrace of technology and tools across all projects.



Since joining the firm in 2003, Geoff has been a leader in the engineering design of complex buildings and he has worked on educational, institutional, performing arts, laboratory, and historic renovation projects. Emphasizing customized solutions, Geoff plays a hands-on role in design-focused projects, taking challenging architectural visions and transforming them into elegant, buildable solutions, while always keeping a project’s specific needs in mind. Through his work on existing buildings and historic retrofits, Geoff brings new technologies to leverage the existing building structure capacity and minimize the impact of upgrades on the building itself.



Geoff is dedicated to advancing seismic design and structural performance. He was part of a collaborative team with the National Science Foundation and the Earthquake Engineering Resource Institute to better understand the structural response of high-performance structures in the 2011 Tohoku Japanese Earthquake. He also works with local university researchers to explore new composite connections for steel structures, evaluate damage from earthquakes, and develop new seismic isolation technology. Geoff is a California licensed Structural Engineer and received a Bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and a Master’s degree in Earthquake Engineering from Stanford University.



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



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



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



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



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

Projects

Customized Solution

Highlights

Team

Categories