What It’s Really Like to Work as a Structural Engineer in an Integrated Firm

By Harshda Prasad, SE, LEED AP

LPA Structural Managing Director Harshda Prasad on the benefits of working in a multidiscipline firm, and breaking down the myths of “big A, little e” and “big E, little a”.

When I was working for traditional structural engineering companies, I was warned about integrated design firms. You’ll just be working for the architects, and they’ll tell you what to do and they’ll still bring in outside consultants for big projects, I was told. 

My experience has been the opposite. At the integrated firm where I now work, the structural team has a seat at the table from the very start of the project. Instead of bystanders to the creative process, we are an integral part of the team, able to influence projects in ways I would never be able to in a traditional approach.

When I was a consulting structural engineer, I would often come into a project very late, and a lot of the design decisions had been made. I would then try to fit the structure within the architecture. Now I am part of the design process from the very beginning and able to provide creative input from the start of the design.

With integrated design, the structural team plays a critical role in the design competition, the pre-schematics, and the conceptual design. Our design partners rely on us to bring structural system thinking into the earliest phases of design, knowing it will help them do their best work. We work with the owners on their goals. I feel ownership over projects because I can help conceptualize them and make them a reality. 

Not every firm that calls itself integrated really is. The difference, I think, comes down to culture. It’s become a trend for architecture firms to add disciplines to capture more revenue for their company. In the case of my firm, the decision to add disciplines was driven by the pursuit of better design and better building performance. Their focus on first operational and now embodied energy reduction led to designers setting performance goals and measuring outcomes on every project. That data led them to conclude that a collaborative, multi-discipline process produced the best results. That difference in “why” goes a long way toward explaining my experience.

Before joining an integrated firm, it pays to talk to their employees and get a sense of how they treat their engineers. Some firms keep structural engineers in-house for less challenging projects and then contract with structural consultants on the larger, more interesting projects. When I decided to make the switch, I was looking for a place where structural engineers take on the most challenging design problems at the same level as the architects and other internal engineering, interiors, and landscape experts. I liked the idea that engagement from multiple different design perspectives generates the most effective solutions, and after many years working at an integrated firm, I’ve found that to be true. 

Another big advantage I’ve found at an integrated design firm is the open-mindedness. People are encouraged to come up with ideas and present them. Younger architects, engineers—it doesn’t matter. People who might be shy or introverted feel safe to express themselves and bring ideas to the table. I think it has something to do with the inherent value integrated firms place on diverse voices.

On several recent projects, my in-house structural engineering team has been able to make a significant difference in the final design. In Tracy, California, plans for a new multi-generational recreation center originally called for two buildings. We helped design a plan to merge them into a single building tied together by one roof diaphragm, which improved circulation, helped make mechanical systems more efficient, and reduced the amount of structural materials, contributing to our firm’s performance goals for embodied carbon reduction. The final result is a net zero energy building that will serve the diverse local community in many ways for many years.

The recent seismic retrofit of University of California, San Diego’s historic York Hall is another great example of architecture and structural engineering coming together. Most seismic projects led by structural engineering firms rely on architects only to patch up the areas where structural intervention is needed. In this case, we were able to bring value to the seismic retrofit by partnering with an engaged architectural team to preserve the building’s historical integrity and address other needed building improvements. The team’s targeted approach resulted in cost savings of $3 million for the university and is serving as a model for future seismic retrofits on the campus. And just as every AIA award belongs partly to the structural team, York Hall’s recent national NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Award belongs partly to our architectural partners. 

I could never have imagined this type of role and influence in a traditional structural consultancy.

Working on an integrated design team, I feel like I can truly make an impact as a structural engineer. I’m not just fitting the structure to an already-designed building. I think that’s the fun and challenging aspect of working in an integrated design firm. You can truly be a structural engineer and not just the person who does calculations to rationalize the architect’s vision.  

Harshda Parada leads LPA’s structural engineering practice in San Diego, San Jose & Sacramento, spearheading major civic, education, life science and biotech projects. She is also currently serving as the President of the Structural Engineers Association of San Diego (SEAOSD).