11/04/2026
As a residential designer, it is within my knowledge and capabilities to design a home from foundation to roof, understanding load paths and anticipating where beams, posts, and other structural elements will be required.
But good design also means knowing when a project calls for another set of eyes.
While many homes can be fully designed within the scope of residential design, certain projects present unique structural conditions where the expertise of a structural engineer becomes an important part of the process.
This home is one of those special projects.
My clients are planning a coastal-style home constructed on pilings, complete with a lookout rising above the main roof, fondly referred to in the plans as the Belvedere.
I am designing the home and coordinating the overall structural concept, but because of the unique foundation and elevated Belvedere, I have advised my clients to work with a structural engineer to determine the appropriate piling sizes and spacing, as well as the specific structural framing required to support the tower.
To me, thoughtful residential design isn't about pretending to know everything. It's about understanding the entire home well enough to recognize when a specialized expertise should become part of the team.
And on a unique home like this one, collaboration is simply part of designing it well.
