A grounded project that adds a different angle without repeating the others.
The third item in the portfolio series needed its own reason to be here. Rather than repeating the same promise in different words, this case covers a separate angle: how a support dashboard for internal project tracking was reworked after two seasons of use.
The original dashboard grouped all structural tasks into one long list. Engineers and site coordinators used it daily, but the layout forced them to scroll past completed items to find what needed attention. The refresh focused on separating active work from archived records, and on making the status of each steel profile order visible at a glance.
The dashboard now reads like a work plan rather than a log. Coordinators can spot which connection details are waiting on the structural calculation and which drawings are ready for the workshop. The refresh did not add new features; it removed the noise that made the old layout slow to use.
For the portfolio, this case documents a different kind of structural work: the internal tools that keep a studio running. It is a follow-up insight to the residential and facade projects, showing how the same attention to detail applies to process, not just to steel sections.
Internal tooling for a structural design studio. Covers task tracking, profile order status, and drawing handover between design and fabrication teams.
Two seasons of dashboard usage, feedback from three site coordinators, and a log of delayed profile deliveries that were missed in the old layout.
The revised layout is in use for the current batch of residential projects. A similar pass is planned for the facade coordination sheet.
Project workflow — 5 stages
A focused project built around practical decisions and constraints. The sequence below maps how a request moves from first sketch to site-ready documentation, with the tradeoffs we weigh at each step.
We start with the building program, plot dimensions, and local zoning limits. For this project, the main constraint was a narrow urban plot with a protected tree line on the north side.
Using a parametric model, we tested three column grids against the facade module. The chosen layout reduces steel tonnage by 12% while keeping the cantilevered canopy within deflection limits.
We detailed all moment connections with preloaded bolts and shim plates to accommodate on-site adjustments. The workshop drawings include torque specs and a tightening sequence for each joint.
For the ventilated facade, we inserted thermal breaks at every bracket. The section drawings show the exact cavity depth and the vapour barrier continuity around the steel uprights.
After erection, we documented the actual bolt patterns and measured the frame alignment. The final report includes a deflection check under dead load and a photographic log of every connection.
The client receives a full package: structural calculations, shop drawings, and a maintenance schedule for the steel finish. We also include a checklist for annual facade inspections.
Every project follows this sequence, but the time at each stage varies. For this workflow, the parametric sketch took longer than usual because of the irregular plot geometry. The tradeoff was a simpler bolting schedule during erection.