News

As an alumni and ardent supporter of the University of Southern California, it just seemed liked a natural step for Associate Principal Ben Rogowski to be voted in as a Board member of the USC Guild. Congrats to Ben on this honor and the Guild’s work to link the more than 700 current students, thousands of alumni and world-class faculty affiliated with the School of Architecture with the professional community. According to Ben, “This opportunity allows me to expand my mentorship capabilities, lend my knowledge of AEC industry trends and insights to School of Architecture students, and of course, help with annual fundraising efforts such as the Gala and Golf Tournament, which fund student scholarships.”

It’s official!! As of July 1st, California Building code now permits high rise mass timber buildings up to 18 stories. The work of JAMA Principal Matt Timmers, in his role as a member of the International Code Council (ICC)’s Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings, has helped this process along. In addition to initiating an office-wide initiative to advance research and applications into seismically active zones, Matt is currently leading several mass-timber structural design efforts and assisting clients in learning the environmental, schedule and in some cases cost benefits of this structural system.  Read more about the changes here.

The award-winning Cal Poly Student Services Building, a 140,000 two-part structure designed by CO Architects and constructed by C.W. Driver, utilized RISA modeling software to generate the intricate and complex geometry of the steel roof structure. This defining feature not only helps the facility serve as an icon at the camps’ entry but serves important sustainability functions by shading the structure’s windows and outdoor gathering areas. The full article can be found here.

JAMA has announced 10 promotions across the leadership, engineering, and drafting teams in June. Each of the following groups, along with other staff, ensure the highest levels of client service and innovation, and have kept JAMA at the forefront of structural engineering in high seismic zones. Kim Pacheco – Associate Principal James Lee – Senior Project Manager Hossain Ghaffari – Senior Project Manager Erik Hilkey – Project Manager Adena Nik Gieger – Project Manager Kim Carden – Project Manager Heryang Lee – Senior Project Engineer Mitch Fanning – Senior Project Engineer Michael Garcia – BIM Coordinator Erick Molina – BIM Coordinator

Trusses are going up! The first set of 81’ glulam trusses have been installed to create the vaulted roof of the central nave at St. Charles Borromeo in Visalia, California. The church, designed by Radian Design Group and constructed by S.C. Anderson, features scissor trusses and large glulam compression/tension rings over a central altar. With a seating capacity of more than 3,000 the facility will be the largest seating-capacity Catholic church in the country. The project is expected to be complete in Spring 2022.

For years JAMA engineers have visited California Universities and Colleges as part of the winter Job Fair season, but with coronavirus numbers still at alarming levels those events have gone virtual. While engineers will still participate, things have largely pivoted online, with downloadable content, short videos giving insights into firm culture and working styles, and online applications. For 2021, both the Los Angeles and Oakland offices are looking for Summer interns and will engage younger designers and engineers in training in project work, educational opportunities and mentorship. Students can connect with the firm at the following job fairs or find out more on our johnmartin.com/employment page. UC Los Angeles: Jan 28 UC Berkeley: Feb 10 Stanford: Feb 11 UC San Diego: Feb 19 Cal Poly SLO: Feb 27

Two JAMA engineers have passed their Structural Engineer exams! Adena Nik and Erik Hilkey now have the authority and credentials to use the title “Structural Engineer.” Per California requirements, licensed civil engineers must successfully complete a 16-hour examination process, apply for licensure, and provide evidence of experience and references with the State’s Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG).Both Adena and Erik work on a wide range of education, healthcare and mixed-use projects, so elevation to the SE title benefits their clients and the overall JAMA team.

The Architects Newspaper featured a story this month on the recently completed City of Santa Monica City Hall East. The addition to City Hall is unique in it’s environmental achievements as it is the largest Living Building Challenge project to achieve Net Zero Energy and Net Zero Water in the US. The full article can be read here: https://www.archpaper.com/2020/10/frederick-fisher-partners-santa-monica-city-services-touts-its-net-zero-bona-fides/