PECK ARCHITECTURE | PECK STRUCTURAL | PECK CIVIL

work on historic structures

OLD MANTON CORNER STORE, MANTON, CA

Scope: PECK Structural is renovating an old corner store and trading post in Northern California. The structure, built in the early 1900s, is an historic renovation re-use project. The structure will be enhanced by redoing the roof and porch and adding a cafe. The corner store will be getting a seismic retrofit, a foundation upgrade and a shear wall upgrade. PECK Structural is performing the engineering here in Pasadena while working with a local team of draftspersons and permitters in Manton.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: Estimated completion 2023

BUCKMINSTER FULLER, FLY’S EYE DOME, BENTONVILLE, AR

Scope: The 50-Foot Fly’s Eye Dome was designed and constructed by R. Buckminster Fuller, and restored by Carlson Arts with engineering by PECK Structural. Visit our project page for details on the engineering and restoration. It was recently acquired by Crystal Bridges and is on display at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2021

Lloyd Wright house, pacific palisades, ca

Scope: Lloyd Wright designed the original house in 1948 for nine time Oscar winning film and television composer Alfred Newman. The 4,386 square foot, 6 bedroom and 5 bathroom residence sits on an idyllic site in the Pacific Palisades just off Sunset Boulevard overlooking Rustic Canyon. PECK will be collaborating with Barbara Corwin, Architect of New York, on a sensitive restoration and addition, while respecting the defining features of the building. The work will include interior remodeling and a new wing to include a new bedroom, an entry stair, and a subterranean media room with light wells.
Project role: Architectural, Structural
Project Date: 2021

GOULD LAFETRA house, Los angeles, ca

Scope: CM Peck returns to the hills above Brentwood, California to work on another historic home. After having worked on the Hamma House by A. Quincy Jones & Whitney Smith in 2003, we are returning to the hills to restore the lower level of the Gould Lafetra House by Ray Kappe. We are providing structural design to repair the fire damaged Glue-Lam beam cantilevers.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2021

The robinson house (ledbetter), S. Grand ave, pasadena, ca

Scope: A proposed minor remodel of an important 1905 Greene & Greene house which was subject to historic preservation review. The owners asked us to design a modification of the north porch in order to create a breakfast room for their young family. Although it is controversial to make exterior modifications to an historic landmark, PECK helped them plan it in a sensitive way while adhering to the Secretary of Interior's Standards. The design was granted approval through the Pasadena Historic Preservation Commission and involved sensitive new millwork and cataloguing and storage of existing elements that were being removed.
Project role: Architectural
Project Date: 2007

martinez residence, south pasadena, CA

Scope: A kitchen, bedroom, and porch remodel of an historic home built in 1909. The design was subject to historic preservation review. PECK presented drawings to the staff at the City of South Pasadena to confirm compliance with the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The project was approved and constructed. 
Project role: Architecture, Structural
Project Date: 2016

Elks Lodge (behind Rose parade grandstands), pasadena, ca

Scope: The 1911 B.P.O.E. (Benevolent and Protective Order of The Elks) hired PECK to renovate their main banquet hall and restore it to its previous glory. A wealth of original architectural detail lay behind wall coverings and a dropped ceiling that was installed to hide HVAC equipment installed mid-century. The Elks were in possession of many of the original drawings by Bennett and Haskell from 1928. PECK developed a plan to give The Elks back the original exposed ceiling trusses, decorative plaster pilasters, paneled wall treatments, while upgrading the ADA access, relocating the HVAC duct routing and relocating the HVAC equipment. In addition to the main auditorium, we designed a remodel of the adjacent bar area. We addressed upgrades to the fire protection measures, added a new doorway for fire exiting and proposed a new sprinkler system. Unfortunately, the renovation plans were never completed due to budgetary constraints.
Project role: Architecture
Project Date: 2006 

hamma house (stern residence), brentwood, ca

Scope: An addition of a master bedroom suite to a 1951 A. Quincy Jones & Whitney Smith House in the Crestwood Hills tract. Designed by PECK and Sergio Zeballos, the master bedroom suite was oriented at an angle to the main house in a separate wing and connected via a glass-clad hallway. The addition followed The Secretary of Interior's Standards as an appropriate approach to preserve as much historic fabric as possible while adding square footage to the existing residence. The project also included restoration of the kitchen, retaining it's original configuration. The restoration included work on doors and windows, interior finishes, the original redwood tongue and groove planking, floors, ceilings, exterior trim, and landscape.
Project role: Architecture, Structural, Civil
Project Date:  2003

wong porch, south Pasadena, CA

Scope: A front porch restoration project subject to historic preservation review. Originally a duplex built in 1924 and converted into a single family house in 1977, the porch was the central aesthetic feature and PECK was granted project approval through the City of South Pasadena.
Project role: Architecture, Structural
Project Date: 2015

Consulting Engineering on Historic structures

The Thomson Residence (Buff, straub & Hensman architects), pasadena, ca

Scope: PECK provided Architectural guidance and Structural design for the rehabilitation of the historic 1957 post and beam modern home in Pasadena. Our work included restoration of original posts and beams subject to water damage, consulting concerning flashing and sealant strategies to limit future damage, conversion of storage space below the garage into a new bedroom and bathroom, reconstruction of the main entry stair from the carport, re-roofing and new gutter system for the carport, waterproofing of the basement retaining walls, structural support of the garage upslope foundations, addressing the glazing and supports at the breakfast room addition, seismic stability of the side yard trellises and deck.
Project role: Architectural, Structural
Project Date: 2007

Rolston Residence by Richard Neutra, beverly hills, ca

Scope: Developed terraced mid century landscape planters and pathways in the front yard, side yard fence wall structures, rear patio trellis structure, as well as modification to structural elements of the house.
Project role: Structural
Year built: 1961

Selvage Residence by Thornton Abel, Malibu, ca

Scope: As structural consultant to Marmol Radziner, we developed details for structural remodeling, addition, and retrofitting of the 1963 Thorntonn Abel house, including provisions for shade pockets within a flat roof framing system. The building is constructed of cast concrete walls which need to be restrained to resist overturning in CA earthquake zone 4. We designed the two additions on caisson system per soil requirements, and following the design language of the original structure.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2001

van cleef Residence by Richard Neutra, holmby hills, ca

Scope: PECK performed the structural design for the proposed Renovation of the 1942 residence by Bertram Architects. The design included strengthening as well as adding structural foundations and framing to accommodate relocating several interior walls. The project did not move forward.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2013

awards for restoration work

Volunteer Work for Heritage Organizations

madison house retrofit, south pasadena, CA

Scope: The 1893 Madison House is the home of Pasadena Heritage, where Chris Peck served as a board member for several years and advocacy chair for one term. The house was donated to Pasadena Heritage for a 99 year lease and now requires a fair amount of repair. The red brick foundation was being damaged by moisture. Chris, along with several other engineers and architects that were board members, collaborated in order to provide the structural plans required for permitting and construction. PECK volunteered the effort to prepare the plan set that was used to restore the house foundation from a structural and seismic perspective.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2014-2015

castle green consulting, pasadena, CA

Scope: The 1898 Castle Green is now a condominium building. Having undergone a fair amount of weathering over the past 119 years, one of the stucco soffits on a cantilevered porch fell onto a roof below due to rusting steel within the balcony projection. Pasadena Heritage was contacted and outlined a work plan for the condo owners to address this situation. PECK acted as a technical consultant and provided the initial scoping regarding the proposed repair of the steel balcony supports.
Project role: Structural
Project Date: 2014

la loma bridge project, pasadena, CA

Scope: Chris is a member of the La Loma Bridge Design Advisory Group.

markham district map, pasadena, CA

Scope: PECK provided the drafting of a Markham District Map for Pasadena Heritage presentation to the state historic preservation office.
Project Role: Drafting Assistance
Project Date: 2011

pasadena heritage - advocacy, pasadena, CA

Scope: Chris Peck is currently a member of the Advocacy Committee, the Advisory Council and a Heritage Associate and formerly a Chair of Advocacy and member of the Board of Directors. Chris is also a lecturer on Historical Building Techniques.

The City of Pasadena - Commissions and Volunteer Work, pasadena, CA

Scope: Chris is a former member and Chair of Design Commission at the City of Pasadena and a former Chair of the Urban Forestry Advisory Committee. The Design Commission functions as the historic review decision making body for the City for several project types. Currently, Chris is a member of the Parks and Parking Committee for the Playhouse District Association. 

Downloadable PDF