PROBLEM Traditional concept design involves engineers exploring a limited set of reasonable design options that they determine by exercising expert judgment. This limited set of options inevitably cuts out potential solutions from consideration. This is problematic as the design space becomes more complicated and identifying the best solution requires more[…]
Thornton Tomasetti
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
DESCRIPTION The new Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington celebrates the wonder of the oceans and our shared responsibility to protect them. The new 34,000 square foot building includes a 250,000-gallon warm water Baja Bay tank to house hammerhead sharks and sea turtles. The tanks are[…]
Tieback Model Creation Automation
PROBLEM As part of the Climate Pledge Arena project, we were designing the shoring walls of the perimeter of the site. The geotechnical team completed their designs outside of the Revit BIM but we wanted to be able to deliver the design in BIM for cross-discipline coordination. This could have[…]
Engineering Office Design and Fit-out
PROBLEM The Seattle office of Thornton Tomasetti was growing and nearing the end of the lease on our first-ever office (reuse of a small architectural firm’s office). We needed to find an office in the downtown core (office director’s preference) that could accommodate growth in staff for the office while[…]