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Thornton Tomasetti

We apply scientific and engineering principles to solve the world’s challenges — starting with yours.

Thornton Tomasetti provides engineering design, investigation and analysis services to clients worldwide on projects of every size and level of complexity. We are a 100 percent employee-owned organization of engineers, architects, scientists, and sustainability and support professionals collaborating from offices across North America and in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. We focus on providing a diverse suite of integrated services and leading innovation in our industry to ensure the continued success of our clients.

10/09/2026

When it comes to hurricane-related property loss, storm intensity is only part of the equation. Two buildings can face the same conditions and emerge with dramatically different levels of damage.

A building’s condition, maintenance and renovation history, roof and envelope performance and applicable codes can all influence repair costs. Even when a structure remains sound, water intrusion through a damaged roof or window can affect interior finishes and critical systems, leading to extensive repairs and prolonged closures.

Thornton Tomasetti Principal Kylie Schalz explains why a property’s history matters when assessing hurricane damage.

Read more from Kylie and Associate Principal Chase Anderson about how forensic investigations help insurers and attorneys determine the causes and extent of complex
losses: https://tt-heres-how.com/storm-claims

10/07/2026

Atop a remote mountain in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a telescope designed to look deeper into the universe than ever before is taking shape.

Thornton Tomasetti developed a layered security strategy for the ESO Astronomy’s Extremely Large Telescope, now under construction more than 3,000 metres above sea level. Working with Ramboll, our Protective Design & Security team developed an approach that addresses physical, personnel and cyber risks while accounting for the site’s extreme remoteness and strict lighting restrictions.

Once operational, the telescope will be 16 times more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope, capable of imaging exoplanets and looking back to the earliest stages of the universe.

Read more: https://tt-heres-how.com/elt

10/06/2026

Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, winner of the National Academy of Construction’s 2026 Special Achievement Award for Project Excellence, is a prime example of how an iconic structure can be reinvented for a new era.

Originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the venue retained its landmark roof and façade while an almost entirely new arena was built underneath. Thornton Tomasetti provided structural design and construction engineering services, including for a 3,700-ton temporary steel shoring system that held the 44-million-pound roof in place as crews excavated as much as 60 feet below grade. Thornton Tomasetti’s Advanced Project Delivery approach helped accelerate steel procurement and detailing, cutting approximately four months from the schedule.

Adaptive reuse and high-performance design helped reduce the project’s carbon impact, earning it International Living Future Institute Zero Carbon Certification.

Thornton Tomasetti Senior Principal Matt Farber explains the engineering behind the complex project built in a high-seismic region and how expertise from across the firm helped make it possible.

The NAC recognized the project for its innovation, safety, sustainability, excellence in project delivery and impact on the community. Congratulations to our project partners Oak View Group, Populous, Mortenson, CAA ICON and ME Engineers.

Read more: https://tt-heres-how.com/cpa-video

10/05/2026

Northwestern University opened its New Ryan Field in winning fashion Friday night. The Northwestern Wildcats defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 34-13 in the first football game at the 35,000-seat venue.

Designed by HNTB and Perkins&Will, with Thornton Tomasetti providing structural design, er****on and construction engineering, and temporary works inspection services, Ryan Field features a playing surface 21 feet below grade. This allows for a steeper seating bowl that brings fans closer to the action while reducing the venue’s height and visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood. A sweeping canopy covers every seat, with exposed steel framing and bolted connections that contribute to the architecture and evoke Chicago’s elevated rail system.

Open corners, terraces, plazas and landscaped areas help connect Ryan Field to the surrounding community while creating spaces for use beyond game days. The design also provides more than twice the accessibility required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Working with steel erector Complex Structures Group LLC. and fabricator LeJeune Steel Co., Thornton Tomasetti engineered the canopy er****on sequence, helping bring one of the venue’s defining architectural features to life.

Read more about the project: https://tt-heres-how.com/ryan-field-opens

10/01/2026

Coffee might form the foundation for many people’s day. At Canary Wharf London, it’s also helping support a 12-metre-tall whale sculpture, winner of the Best Project – Innovation Award at the 2026 Institution of Civil Engineers London Awards.

The Whale on the Wharf is a breaching whale made from five tonnes of plastic recovered from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Thornton Tomasetti collaborated with A-squared Studio Engineers and artist-architects StudioKCA on the installation, providing structural and geotechnical engineering services to Canary Wharf Group.

Set in one of the deepest parts of the dock and directly above Jubilee Underground line tunnels, the cantilevered structure required substantial submerged foundations. We designed a frame using repurposed steel and, working with Canary Wharf Group and Holcim UK, helped develop ‘Bio-Espresso’, a bespoke low-carbon concrete incorporating biochar made partly from spent coffee grounds collected from cafés and restaurants across Canary Wharf.

Used in the underwater foundations, the innovative mix achieved a 66% reduction in embodied carbon compared with standard CEM I concrete, while exceeding the project’s structural performance requirements.

Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE studio and Façade Engineering teams also contributed structural analysis and parametric design for the sculpture’s complex geometry and cantilevered loads when it made its original debut in Bruges, Belgium, in 2018.

Learn more about the project: https://tt-heres-how.com/whale-wharf-award

09/29/2026

Understanding why a structure was damaged after a major storm can require more than just knowing how fast the wind was blowing. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling can help forensic investigators examine how wind direction, surrounding topography and a building’s shape and configuration affect wind behavior around a structure.

By simulating these interactions, CFD can reveal highly dynamic aerodynamic effects that standard wind-loading analysis may not fully capture. In a recent study (shown here), our team used CFD to identify how wind flowing over a roof caused it to behave much like an aircraft wing, creating lift, vortices and buffeting that may have contributed to damage.

While it does not replace standard wind analysis or physical testing, CFD provides another piece of evidence, helping investigators better understand the forces acting on a structure and determine when complex aerodynamic behavior warrants a closer look.

Learn more: https://tt-heres-how.com/storm-cfd

09/28/2026

More than a century of harsh weather had taken its toll on the dome of Saint Clement Chicago, a longtime landmark in the city’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Water infiltration and exposure damaged its masonry and concealed steel structure, prompting a major dome restoration that brought together Thornton Tomasetti’s renewal, structural engineering and building envelope teams.

The historic preservation project included repairing all 16 steel trusses, rebuilding masonry piers, restoring limestone, repairing the copper roofing and improving drainage to prevent future water damage.

Senior Principal and Chicago Office Co-Director Rachel Michelin discusses the careful work required to preserve the structure and protect its delicate interior plaster dome while keeping the church operational.

Learn more about the project: https://tt-heres-how.com/Saint-Clement

09/25/2026

How can sports and entertainment venues prepare for a changing climate while making smarter investments for the future?

That question took center stage this week during a Climate Week NYC 2026 panel discussion at Thornton Tomasetti’s New York headquarters. “Playing the Long Game in Sports” brought together Scott Jenkins of the Green Sports Alliance, New York State Assembly Majority Member Robert Carroll, Apoorv Goyal of HOK and Thornton Tomasetti’s Amanda Garvey, with the firm’s Jose Rodriguez as host and Tom Duffy moderating.

The conversation examined how extreme heat, flooding, severe storms and pressure on the power grid are affecting venues, and how owners can identify vulnerabilities, prioritize investments and connect resilience with decarbonization and long-term performance.

Panelists also discussed the role of policy, public funding, regulation and insurance, as well as how potential future Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Lake Placid and New York City could spur infrastructure improvements that benefit local communities for years to come.

09/22/2026

The gates are open and racing is back at Belmont Park NY. The iconic Long Island racetrack welcomed fans Sept. 18 following a three-year, $555 million reconstruction, and members of Thornton Tomasetti’s project team were there to celebrate.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul joined NYRA and project partners for a ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of the first day of racing, which drew a sold-out crowd of 6,000.

Thornton Tomasetti provided structural engineering and façade consulting services to Populous for the modernization, which included demolition of the existing 1.25-million-square-foot grandstand and construction of a new facility. Sitewide upgrades include expanded infield access via new pedestrian tunnels, nearly five times more public green space, and improvements to the paddock, back lawn, parking areas and lighting systems.

At the center of the transformation is an approximately 300,000-square-foot, five-story grandstand and clubhouse with a cantilevered canopy. It features new club and dining spaces, private suites and indoor-outdoor hospitality areas. The redesigned paddock is twice the size of its predecessor and retains Belmont Park’s iconic white pine tree. The venue features four racing surfaces: a 1 1/2-mile dirt track, two turf courses and a one-mile Tapeta track, supporting year-round racing at Belmont Park for the first time.

The first two floors opened for the return of racing, with the remaining three scheduled for completion in the coming months and full opening in the first quarter of 2027. Once complete, the grandstand will accommodate approximately 10,000 spectators, while Belmont Park will have an overall capacity of at least 50,000 for the Belmont Stakes and other major racing events.

Thornton Tomasetti was also the structural engineer for earlier phases of the Belmont Park redevelopment, including UBS Arena and the Belmont Park Village retail project.

09/17/2026

Vacant since flooding from Superstorm Sandy forced its closure in 2012, a historic Art Deco landmark in Manhattan’s West Chelsea neighborhood is taking on a new purpose.

Originally constructed between 1930 and 1932 as the Seamen’s House YMCA, it later became the Bayview Correctional Facility, a women’s medium-security prison and work-release center. It is now being transformed into Chelsea Beacon, a $167-million affordable and supportive housing development by Camber Property Group and the Osborne Association that broke ground this week.

The project will create up to 131 permanently affordable apartments, a 15-unit short-term transitional residence and 9,300 square feet of community space.

Thornton Tomasetti is working with COOKFOX Architects and Camber Property Group, bringing together expertise from our renewal, façade engineering, sustainability and resilience, and acoustics, noise and vibration practices. The multidisciplinary team is addressing the complexities of adapting the existing structure and integrating new construction while enhancing building performance and resilience.

The design retains the main and annex buildings while adding new construction within the interior courtyard and a seven-story overbuild. Set back from the street wall, the addition will be clad in masonry that complements the historic façade. The chapel will be restored and repurposed, while the tile mosaic from the former swimming pool will be preserved and reinstalled in the residential lobby. All-electric building systems are also planned.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2029.

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