Structural Design of Five Four-Story Condominium Loft Buildings

Markethouse Lofts, an award winning building, consists of 5 four-story buildings, each containing two-story loft units stacked above each other. The buildings are laid out in a triangular shape with a raised concrete post-tensioned podium above parking, and are interconnected at the third floor level by walkways. The structure consists of manufactured wood roof trusses, wood-framed shearwalls and engineered wood floor framing.

During Schematic Design, Peoples Associates was challenged by the Design Team to establish a lateral load system that would address the two-story high windows at each of the loft units. These large windows seemed to eliminate the use of plywood shearwalls due to their height. A creative solution was determined that allowed the use of plywood shearwalls without sacrificing this critical architectural feature.