Over 100 years ago, the McLauthlin Elevator Building was constructed with an iconic cast-iron facade that is a beautiful and rare building material in New England. The ravages of time have made many elements of the facade unstable and increased …
Read Article »Structural and civil engineers were meant to collaborate – after all, their academic faculties are usually under the same roof! This is a story of such a collaboration to restore a historic townhouse on Beacon Hill. The building was plagued …
Read Article »Many Engineers use the term “crack rout and seal” on their drawings to describe the process of preparing cracks in concrete before filling them with sealant. However, that terminology is not well known to the masons who actually perform the …
Read Article »The Godfrey Hotel in Boston, formerly 59 Temple Place, served as a multistory office building with first floor commercial space. The Godfrey Hotel was created by combining as one, the four-story Amory Building and the eleven-story Blake Building. Both buildings, …
Read Article »We always joke in the office about finding “magic goo” on the outside of a building. Invariably, a well-meaning Owner or maintenance person finds a caulking gun or bucket of some unknown material to smear on to the outside of …
Read Article »After the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010, millions reached out to aid with the rescue, cleanup and rebuilding of Port-au-Prince and the affected surrounding areas. Craig Barnes, P.E., CBI Consulting Inc.’s Founding Principal, spent two weeks in Port-au-Prince following …
Read Article »By Wayne R. Lawson, P.E., SECB, MCPPO Since Boston is currently positioned in the top 10 Snowiest Winters of All Time (and Spring is still 37 days away!), we felt it necessary to remind people about the concerns of excessive …
Read Article »By Craig E. Barnes, P.E., SECB & Jennifer dos Santos, Assoc. A.I.A., MCPPO The process of awakening young minds to the beauty and excitement of structural engineering is not as complicated as one might think. What are the necessary ingredients? A …
Read Article »By Matt Richardson Sidwell Friends School, Washington D.C. Architecture today is shifting more and more towards sustainable strategies. Designers and builders are now invested along with the public discourse in the overall sustainability and reduction of a buildings carbon footprint. …
Read Article »By Steven A. Watchorn, Assoc. A.I.A., LEED AP BD+C Renovations to existing buildings often occur with at least some level of occupancy in the building or adjacent space. Even school renovations that take place over summer vacation usually must allow for …
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