Client: 25:8 Architecture
Expertise: Structural Design
25:8 Architecture chose us for our proven ability to deliver value, innovative engineering solutions, and strong regulatory coordination.
Project Overview
Capacity Engineering is currently serving as the Prime Consultant for the design and development of a five-storey mid-rise building in Vanier. The project features a unique architectural vision from 25:8 Architecture and includes a complex structural challenge: the fifth floor extends as a significant cantilever over the existing two-storey building below.
This configuration introduces torsional behaviour that must be carefully addressed within both the seismic and wind design frameworks. The engineering solution requires precise modelling, coordination with the architectural concept, and innovative structural detailing to ensure long-term performance and safety.
Key structural elements include a combination of concrete and timber core walls to provide seismic stability, as well as elongated Y-shaped steel columns designed to support the cantilevered fifth floor while preserving the desired architectural expression.
Why Choose Capacity Engineering?
25:8 Architecture selected Capacity Engineering for this project due to our reputation for innovation and our ability to translate ambitious architectural concepts into practical, safe, and efficient structural solutions.
Capacity Engineering brings:
- Creative engineering approaches that allow complex forms and cantilevers to be realized without compromising safety or constructibility
- Advanced structural modelling to accurately predict torsional behaviour under seismic and wind loads
- Collaborative coordination that supports architects in delivering bold design while meeting regulatory requirements
- Proven experience with mixed-material systems, including concrete, timber, and custom steel elements
This alignment of technical expertise and design-forward problem solving made Capacity Engineering the ideal fit for this architecturally complex mid-rise.
Project Outcome
As the project progresses, Capacity Engineering has delivered:
- A fully engineered cantilevered fifth-floor design supported by custom Y-shaped steel columns
- A hybrid core-wall system using concrete and timber for seismic stability
- Detailed analysis of torsional effects arising from the overhang
- Structural solutions that preserve the architectural vision while meeting code requirements
- Coordinated documentation across disciplines as the prime consultant
The project remains in active development, with final construction and detailing phases underway.