Old Structures Engineering Company Profile

About Old Structures

Old Structures is a firm of consulting engineers who work on old structures. While they work on many types of projects, the core of Old Structure's practice is the profession of structural engineering. There are many definitions of the field, but they all share several concepts: their work includes analysis and design of buildings and other structures for real-world loads, in order to provide for safe and serviceable use. Because Old Structures works with existing buildings, their analyses often include investigation of existing conditions or failure. In fact, their standard scope of work includes an investigation phase, something that is not true of structural engineering firms in general.

Their work includes both formal preservation (dealing with buildings that have been designated as landmarks by government agencies) and informal (dealing with old buildings that share many of the physical characteristics of landmarks but are not designated as historic). Engineering is an empirical practice, particularly when it is applied to buildings of variable original construction and design quality; preservation engineering often has to use first principles of analysis and design rather than standard modern techniques. Preservation engineering combines two concepts, one each from preservation and engineering: heritage and cost. The conservation of cultural heritage as expressed by the built environment is a basic part of any historic preservation, while the fact that a building capable of standing on its own is less expensive to repair than to replace in kind draws heavily on the economics of engineering and construction.

Our work centers on the reuse and preservation of old buildings for the sake of preserving natural resources and cultural heritage. Expanding the scope of that concern to include preservation of our community is a natural and comfortable fit.

The Change We Seek®

Old Structures Engineering is dedicated to the idea that old buildings are not only as good as new ones, but can be better because they are cultural artifacts that help inform us all of who and where we are. Preserving and reusing old buildings strengthen our common history by preserving the locations and appearance of our cities and towns, while at the same time saving energy and natural resources by reusing existing built structure rather than demolishing it and building new. This is an intensely local effort, because buildings’ appearance and structure vary from place to place almost as much as the meaning of the buildings varies. Old Structures is working to preserve the buildings that define our home and to adapt them to use for the future.