The Santa Clara Towers were due for an update. The twin eleven-story office towers were built in 1998 with features that were soon past their prime, such as poorly defined entrances, outdated lobbies and minimal tenant amenities, save for a poorly maintained indoor pool. Miyamoto joined the team to develop the structural design for this much-needed renovation to provide workers with a new, contemporary space, fit with all the necessary fine details to promote socialization and flexibility, whether working indoors or outdoors. 

Our structural design involved several aspects of the renovation, including the lobbies for both towers, but of note was the entrance canopy. The canopy uses structural steel that is supported by concrete piers; however, due to the structure’s unique geometry and sharp angles, our engineers had to prepare very custom steel detailing to accommodate its irregular form. The result is a large canopy “hovering” over the entrance to the renovated Santa Clara Towers, welcoming guests and providing bountiful shade for a sitting area.