Structural plans that protect the design
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Scope
New home with garage and clerestory
We combine AI modeling with hands-on experience to deliver engineering plans that are accurate, buildable, and easy to inspect.
A modern single-family home in Palo Alto needed long spans, clean ceilings, and a lateral system that did not fight the architecture. We engineered a wood frame with glulam beams and a tuned shear wall layout to keep the plan open and the elevations clean. The set coordinated with MEP early, which cut review time and lowered field risk.
• Long great-room spans and a clerestory that limited depth for structure
• Large garage opening with tight setbacks in a high seismic zone
• Limited space for ducts and lighting that could have clashed with beams and hold-downs
We modeled the framing to place glulam beams only where they added real value, then sized them for stiffness so finishes stay crisp. We aligned posts, point loads, and bearings with walls below to avoid build-ups, verified deflection and creep limits at long spans, and set camber so ceilings read flat. Shear walls were balanced across the plan to control drift and keep openings where the architect wanted them. Collectors and drag members carry shear across large openings, with chord continuity and splices resolved at corners and the clerestory step. At the garage we used a portal solution with concealed hardware for a clean face.
The header and piers were checked for deflection and overturning, with tie-downs and anchors located for clear layout. The diaphragm and chord system was calculated for the roof geometry and the clerestory, with nailing, blocking, and hardware defined for quick installation. Boundary and edge nailing and blocking are set at ridges, valleys, and diaphragm steps so shear transfer is obvious to the framer. We coordinated joist runs and beam drops with mechanical and lighting, so there were no surprises on site. Diffuser locations, duct chases, and lighting runs were kept clear of chords, hold-downs, and strap paths, and any unavoidable crossings were handled with framed openings. Anchor, hold-down, and strap locations were laid out for straightforward installation. The foundation design includes sill treatment and anchor spacing by wall type to streamline inspection.
Outcomes
Permit Timeline
Structural review advanced without redesign
Field changes
No unforeseen structural rework during framing
Lateral system
Balanced shear walls with glulam spans
Schedule impact
Coordination reduced RFIs and kept schedule on track
