Arts + Entertainment
Live Performances
Museums + Art Displays
Pop-Ups
Signage
Studios + Sound Stages
TV + Film Production
Theaters
Theme Parks + Playplaces
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Education
Colleges + Universities
K-12 Schools
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Energy
Solar Energy
Transmission Infrastructure
Wind Energy
Oil + Gas
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Government
Municipal
State
Federal
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Healthcare
Senior Care
Hospitals
Outpatient Facilities
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Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Warehouse + Distribution Centers
Industrial Ports + Terminals
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Ports + Coastal
Berths, Piers + Wharves
Bulkheads
Esplanades
Ferry Landings, Ship Terminals
Floating Structures
Ports + Terminals
Marinas + Breakwaters
Transfer Stations
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Bikeways + Trails
Garage + Parking Facilities
Park + Recreational Spaces
Streetscapes
Utility Infrastructure
Water + Wastewater
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Commercial
Community Facilities
Mixed-Use
Multifamily Residential
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Airports
Bridges
Ports + Terminals
Rail Transportation
Roads + Highways
Ropeway + Linear Infrastructure
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Floating Harbor Wetland
Multimodal Processing Plant
416 + 420 Kent Dynamic Highrise
Wittpenn Bridge
One Times Square
LaGuardia Airport Terminal B
NYC Ferry
Orlando Airport LED Displays
A leading full-service engineering firm renowned for our trusted, high quality, and innovative approach to solving complex challenges.
Structural Engineering

Podium Building New Construction Structural Engineering

Podium Building
Engineering

Podium buildings typically feature a solid base for parking, retail, or communal spaces, with residential or commercial towers above. This design maximizes land use and integrates various functions, ideal for dense urban areas. At KCI, formerly McLaren Engineering Group, we excel in structural engineering for podium buildings, serving mixed-use and commercial projects nationwide from full design services to peer review.

Despite challenges like complex zoning laws and trade coordination, podium buildings offer a versatile solution for urban development. Key considerations include ensuring structural integrity and load-bearing capacity, particularly in seismic regions. Sustainability and efficiency are also paramount, incorporating eco-friendly materials and green spaces. Our structural engineers are dedicated to delivering durable, innovative solutions, helping clients achieve their development goals efficiently.

Built on a Strong Foundation

Podium Building Design +
Construction Considerations

Load Transfer + Structural Transition

Designing the structural interface between the podium base and the tower or building levels above, including transfer slabs, columns, walls, framing systems, and load paths.

Parking, Retail + Amenity Podiums

Coordinating structural layouts around parking efficiency, retail space, lobbies, shared amenities, building services, and mixed-use program requirements.

Lateral + Seismic Design

Evaluating wind, seismic, and lateral load requirements for podium buildings, especially where building height, occupancy, or regional conditions add complexity.

Foundations + Substructure Coordination

Supporting foundation design, below-grade construction, retaining systems, site constraints, and geotechnical coordination for podium-supported structures.

Material + System Selection

Helping project teams evaluate concrete, steel, light gage metal framing, mass timber, wood-framed, or hybrid systems based on cost, schedule, code, and constructability.

Constructability + Trade Coordination

Supporting early coordination between structural systems, MEP needs, parking layouts, facade systems, fire separation, and construction sequencing.
Nationwide

New Construction Podium Building
Experience

From multifamily residential and mixed-use developments to senior living, commercial, and parking-supported projects, our podium building experience shows how structural design can support efficient land use, complex programming, and coordinated construction. Our work helps project teams balance parking, retail, residential, amenity, and building service needs within durable, buildable podium structures.

We’re excited to share that McLaren Engineering Group is now part of KCI Technologies Inc., a 100% employee-owned firm offering engineering and consulting across all markets, and construction for communications and environmental projects.

Our commitment to excellence continues with the added strength of KCI’s full range of engineering and consulting services.

Visit KCI’s website to learn more.