Austin Howard Remodel

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Austin Howard Home Remodel

Austin Howard Home Remodel

The owner of this fine Capitol Hill Victorian home in Seattle was in the process of restoring the home, which has suffered neglect over the years and required extensive repairs. To capture a magnificent view of Lake Union, downtown, and the Cascade Mountains, he is constructing a home office in the tower.

The structural design was complicated by the desire to provide as much window area as possible. A cantilevered wood column construction was used to support the topmost roof, with some of the cantilevers extending down through the story below.

Home Observatory

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CSES Engineering Designs Home Observatory

Haydn Observatory Construction Started

Haydn Observatory Construction Started

The design for this “residential observatory” was both challenging and interesting. The owner has a wide range of interests, including astronomy. Beyond the usual structural design, the vibrational properties of the telescope support required careful consideration and fine-tuning to minimize the effects of wind and other “noise” sources, and to provide the best viewing feasible.
Residential Observatory Nearing Completion

Residential Observatory Nearing Completion

The Haydn Residential Observatory building with turret.
Residential Observatory Research Telescope

Residential Observatory will have a Research Telescope

The structure itself is a thing of beauty, and will house a research-grade telescope.
Residential Observatory Near Completion

Residential Observatory Near Completion

The observatory building is nearly complete in this photo. When the telescope is installed, the owner will have some of the best viewing anywhere. Skies in Eastern Washington are often clear, and the location is remote enough that city lights and heat will not affect the telescope’s performance.

Home Planetarium

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CSES Engineering Designs Home Observatory

Haydn Planetarium Construction Started

Haydn Planetarium Construction Started

This teardrop shaped room now contains a high quality planetarium, using multiple projectors, and a sophisticated full-surround sound system, and seats about 20 guests. The structural design for the roof required supporting the dome structure from high trusses.
Principal Engineer John Apolis at the Haydn Planetarium Project

Principal Engineer John Apolis

This is the cave of the residence, and on those scorching Eastern Washington summer days, the owner and guests can watch interesting or unusual celestial events as if they sat outside at any location in the world, at any time in history or in the future.
Haydn Planetarium Construction Interior

Haydn Planetarium Project Interior

The owner has a special love for astronomy and the universe. He also is constructing a research grade telescope on his property to take advantage of the clear Eastern Washington skies. His location is away from larger cities, and therefore there is very little extraneous sky light to interfere with observations.

Huges Warehouse

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CSES Engineering Huges Warehouse

Huges Warehouse Project Exterior

Huges Warehouse Project Exterior

The owner of a well known clothing manufacturing enterprise needed a larger space to expand his operation. Together with a local architect, we designed this 30,000 square foot, two story warehouse building in south Seattle to accommodate the operations.
Huges Warehouse Project Interior

Huges Warehouse Interior

The construction budget was strictly controlled, or the project would not have been possible. We worked with Seattle DPD officials to negotiate compromises to make the building more suitable for its intended use.