About the author ⁄ David Shook, P.E.

David Shook is a Director and Structural Engineer with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, in San Francisco. David is a co-author of a book, published by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats, bringing performance-based design principles to an international audience. (david.shook@som.com)

An Example of Sustainability Using Timber

The Iconic and Symbolic County Office Building

Decarbonization must rapidly advance to avert further changes to our environment. As a signatory of SE 2050, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has committed to bringing meaningful carbon reductions to a wide spectrum of buildings. The use of mass timber in many buildings can be cost-effective when combined with the building’s architectural design and programmatic needs. The added benefits of carbon sequestration, reduced finishes, and biophilic aesthetics were all developed for the new County Office Building 3 (COB3) for the County of San Mateo in Northern California.

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May, 2023 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE, Benton Johnson, P.E., S.E., Peter Lee, P.E., S.E., David Shook, P.E. and Alex Zha In Articles, Feature

Seismic Performance of Slender Core-Only Towers

500 Folsom is a new residential high-rise providing needed housing in the densifying urban fabric of the Transbay District of San Francisco. The site was originally part of the Embarcadero Freeway, connecting the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge, that was heavily damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The site has been rejuvenated by the San Francisco Transbay Redevelopment Plan and Essex Property Trust. …

Jun, 2020 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE and David Shook, P.E. In Feature Comments 0

A Unique Opportunity for a Conventional Tall Building Frame

The Sichuan Airlines Center (SAC) Tower occupies a prominent site in the city center of Chengdu and has become a glittering symbol of the city’s urban transformation. The distinctive 650-foot tall (200 meter) tower is a recognizable city landmark, occupying a pivotal location on the Chengdu skyline. The Tower form is a natural reconciliation of geometry, structure, and space made possible through a systematic approach to its construction. …

Jun, 2017 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Neville Mathias, S.E. and David Shook, P.E. In Feature Comments 0

Flat Plate Concrete Construction

350 Mission.

A New Milestone for High-Rise Buildings

By re-examining standards long taken for granted by developers, 350 Mission received LEED® Platinum certification and is reinventing a ubiquitous building type. The form, structure, and systems of this Class-A office tower are generated by rigorous goals of environmental performance, social engagement, and material efficiency.

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Jun, 2017 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE, David Shook, P.E. and Eric Peterson In Feature Comments 4

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