Formlab's Elliptical Stair Takes Shape

Formlab’s elliptical staircase project utilizes PECK’s architectural and engineering modeling and drafting skills. Challenged with finding a way to construct a complicated elliptical staircase for one of PECK’s architectural projects in Benedict Canyon, we considered, vertical glued laminated timbers fabricated on site, a site-built wood box beam, and a site assembled pair of box beams fabricated from water jet or plasma cut parts. We settled on steel roll forming of 4x8x1/2” hollow structural sections.

The design’s elliptical form has a constantly changing radius which makes it challenging to fabricate. By using PECK’s staff to create the staircase geometry in the digit model, along with part descriptions for the shop and unfolded elevation views of the stringers, we were able to provide a very economical construction for the owner.

We are working with, Carolina Rolling for the rolling of the parts and Josue Hernandez at JHV Welding Services for the on-site welding and installation. After we install the steel substructure, carpenter, Daniel Kingery, of ARK Builders, will be constructing the wood components, including the framing for the quasi-helical soffit surface with double curvature. Our design incorporates the landing at the middle of the staircase into the overall volume of the form, resulting in a smooth underside.

We are excited to be engaged in this beautiful design exploration with PECK, combining our high levels of expertise, solving tough problems and innovating together to create in a cost effective way that will benefit everybody. Keep an eye out for future collaborations.

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Back in the US - Buckminster Fuller Fly’s Eye Dome

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.

Fuller conceived the Fly's Eye Dome with its cylindrical openings as an 'autonomous dwelling machine'. He planned to make the modular structure into inexpensive, portable housing. With a water collection system and solar panels in some openings, it would be entirely off-grid. The 50-Foot Fly’s Eye Dome was constructed around 1980 and erected and exhibited at the 1981 Los Angeles Bicentennial. In 2016 the structure was painstakingly restored by architectural historian Robert Rubin, who exhibited the dome in France and other venues in Europe. The current owner has hired Martin and Martin Engineers of Bentonville, to study ways of modifying the dome to allow for larger entry portals.

Now installed on Crystal Bridges’ north lawn, Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome is open for public viewing at no cost from dawn until dusk.

PECK Provides Structural Design for the Restoration of Another Historic Mid-Century Modern Home

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.

Virtual Celebration of Pasadena's Colorado Street Bridge

Pasadena Heritage threw a week-long virtual celebration of the iconic Colorado Street Bridge last week. The party included a fun and comprehensive schedule of events with a different program every day of the week – from a vintage car parade and virtual pub crawl to lectures and panels.

In the Children’s Corner, Chris Peck led a fun, hands-on bridge building activity for Pasadena’s youngest residents on Zoom.

Proceeds went to support Pasadena Heritage’s ongoing work to preserve and protect Pasadena’s architectural treasures, including the Colorado Street Bridge!

Architectural Remodel Consult During COVID-19

Feeling cramped and crowded at home? Kids home from school? Is your Zoom background and lighting less than flattering? Are you having acoustical separation issues? Chris Peck can help create a plan of action to make your home beautiful, functional, and civilized in this pandemic environment!

Chris will be offering the timely service of an architectural remodel consult during this COVID-19 era as part of a silent auction.

You might consider hiring him for a consultation for yourself!

Design in collaboration with Lisa Strong Design

PECK Structural worked with Gilead Sciences, the maker of Remdesivir, a promising drug for treatment of severe covid-19 cases

PECK Structural worked with Gilead Sciences, the US Biotech firm, and Comi Polaris, an Italian equipment supplier to confirm design and installation specifications for equipment developed under EU standards, for use in the USA.

We performed calculations for equipment and “non-building structures” to confirm seismic capacity of the structural system required to support equipment for Gilead Sciences, the maker of Remdesivir, an experimental drug showing promise as a treatment for patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Site location: La Verne, CA.

Flatten the Curve

During this unprecedented time, our top priorities are the health, safety, and well-being of our staff, colleagues, customers, friends and neighbors.

We have the required tools in place to maintain a high level of business continuity. We are working on all projects remotely and have been able to collaborate with clients and colleagues successfully.

Keep safe out there and keep practicing your social distancing. We are all in this together.

Chasing the Nature of Wood: Diane's Ying Yang Table Progress Report

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After air drying this South Pasadena Oak street tree for two years, we selected it as the material used in making Diane’s commissioned table. After it fell, we called in the mobile band saw, sliced it into planks on the edge of Grand Avenue, and took it to my favorite storage place, otherwise known as…my driveway.

We decided to work with Marty of Shalders’ Fine Carpentry as our collaborating furniture maker. There was significant warpage during drying, so we selected the best pieces, then Marty ripped them down the middle, butterflied them like a piece of chicken, laid them flat, and hand-milled them with a jig and router. It was a labor intensive process, but necessary to maintain maximum thickness. We finally rejoined the slabs.

The table will be more finely crafted than a typical live edge plank, but it will retain a rustic look, due to the checks and splits that give the planks their character. We decided to use two planks instead of three, even though it creates a large void in the table center. We will choose a piece with unique grain to fill this void. Diane didn’t want to lose ANY of the beautiful grain, but I broke it to her that we had to break some eggs to make the omelette. We trimmed the table to the desired length and removed some lumber to get the Yin to join with the Yang.

During the design process, we had to resolve several challenges. We had to make some choices regarding the shape of the top. We normalized the edge into a smooth curve and slicing off the little protruding bumps. Diane decided the table was a little bit too long for her space so we cut 6” off of each end to reduce it from 9' to 8’4”. We eased the corners using the radius of a nearby paint can, and eased the ends into broad gentle curves. This table has reverse curves at the edges, which gives it an hourglass type shape.

The next challenge was choosing a leg system to support the table. We sat on the idea for three weeks until I came up with the concept of a two-part splittable table, where the Yin and the Yang can be separated and used as console tables. We were originally going to make the legs out of a different wood, but decided to use wood from the same tree. We will laminate lumber for the remaining planks to create the heavier stock needed for the leg system.

The cool thing about the table design process is that you take one step and that presents a few problems to solve, and then the next step presents more design solutions and the next step and so on and so on. We were truly chasing the nature of the wood and the problems that arise because of its uniqueness and that’s what makes this table special.

We decided to make a prototype of the leg structure out of 2x6 framing lumber. The leg system resembles a wishbone and takes its stylistic cues from the prior oak dining table and coffee table. The legs are placed for maximum stability and to provide the right clearance at the seating positions. We really like the leg design and may use it as a template for more tables in the future.