Magnusson Klemencic Associates

10/23/2026

Four reasons to celebrate! At the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers OPAL Gala, John Hooper received the OPAL Lifetime Achievement Award for Design, SpeedCore earned the Charles Pankow Foundation Award for Innovation, and the Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion took home both an OCEA Honor Award and the top OCEA prize.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Read more: https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2026/10/16/seattle-aquarium-ocean-pavilion-wins-ocea-award

10/21/2026

Congratulations to Senior Principal Kevin Aswegan, PE, SE, F.SEI, on being named a 2027 Engineering News-Record West Top Young Professional! From leading the world’s first Performance-Based Wind Design on ATX Tower to mentoring high school students and helping lead the Museum of Flight STEM Camp, Kevin is shaping the future of engineering both on and off the job.

Read more: https://www.enr.com/blogs/50-west-construction-views/post/63928-enr-west-announces-2027-top-young-professionals

📸: Kirk Hostetter

10/13/2026

Congratulations to Senior Associate Beatriz Arostegui, P.E., S.E., on being named to 's “40 Under 40” Class of 2026! Since joining MKA in 2014, Beatriz’s leadership in seismic design and the renovation of complex existing buildings, her service on national committees shaping future codes and standards, and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of engineers, especially women, reflect MKA’s focus on innovation and industry advancement.

09/25/2026

Last week, our MKA team gathered its finest builders to partner with Seattle Public Schools and refresh the Cascade Parent Partnership Program. From painting playgrounds and murals to assembling outdoor structures, installing drainage improvements, landscaping, and creating new learning spaces, the team brought energy, care, and craftsmanship to every corner of the site.

It was a wonderful success, and we’re grateful for the chance to support this community and help create spaces where students can learn, play, and thrive.

09/18/2026

“Engineering is a team sport in which the greatest success is achieved when everyone’s unique talents and skills contribute to the greater goal.” — Jon D. Magnusson

Last night, we celebrated Jon D. Magnusson, PE, SE, Dist.M.ASCE, F.SEI, NAC, NAE, on 50 years of service as a structural engineer. Jon’s career is a remarkable tribute to teamwork, imagination, mentorship, and purpose that have redefined what is possible in structural engineering.

In recognition of Jon’s service and lasting impact, the City of Seattle proclaimed September 17, 2026, Jon D. Magnusson Day. We are proud to celebrate our Chairman Emeritus, mentor, colleague, and friend.



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08/28/2026

This month's project is the Stonestown Galleria—Macy's Anchor Redevelopment in San Francisco, California. To avoid tearing down an existing 1950s-era concrete structure, once occupied by a Macy’s department store, MKA completed a renovation that involved removing the existing concrete roof structure and replacing it with a taller steel-framed roof to accommodate an upper-floor 12-screen cinema. The project included a full seismic upgrade to the original building, including new concrete shear walls and overlays of existing shear walls. Floor live load capacity was increased using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) floor strengthening. The repositioned three-level building serves both large- and small-format tenants and, in addition, the cinema, and features a large grocery tenant on Level 2. Reusing two floors of the existing structure resulted in a more sustainable project for the client.

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08/27/2026

Two MKA teams had the opportunity to participate in the Seattle Design Festival, collaborating with partner firms to showcase their creative skills through interactive installations designed to engage and connect with visitors. Below are the respective pieces of work:

INPUT / OUTPUT
Team: Gensler × MKA × Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company
MKA Team: Anandharam Mourougassamy, PE, Ava Manning, Katharina Lehmann, Linh Dan D., Turner Solterman, PE

Beneath an intricately engineered wooden canopy, visitors approached a modest analog booth tangled in wires and submitted a creative prompt. Moments later, the “system” responded with an imperfect hand‑drawn illustration—created in real time by a human inside the structure. Blending interactive art, design, performance, and storytelling, the installation explored the tension between digital sophistication and human creativity.

re[cover], re[frame], re[member]
Team: × MKA ×
MKA Team: Venkat Ashrith, P.E., Jesse Ekanya, Kevin Danner, Ksh*tij Chaudhary, EIT, LEED GA, Taylor LaForge, P.E., S.E., Brian Markham

This installation reframed salvaged dimensional lumber into a contemplative third place of remembrance. Through careful sorting, layering, and reuse, the pavilion highlighted the stories embedded in recovered materials and invited visitors to reflect on memory, change, and contradictions.

📸 INPUT / OUTPUT : EJ Deasis

08/15/2026

08/13/2026

Take a stroll through the Seattle Design Festival this weekend, August 15–16, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and see the work MKA has helped create!

The festival returns to Lake Union Park with two installations that MKA helped bring to life. The 2026 theme examines how design responds to change, habit, form, and tension—ideas explored through two collaborations with our outstanding partners.

Our featured projects:

INPUT / OUTPUT — Gensler × MKA × Howard S. Wright (Balfour Beatty)

RECOVER / REFRAME / REMEMBER — The Miller Hull Partnership× MKA × Hoffman Construction Company

Take a peek at how the team has been constructing these structures and visit the Seattle Design Festival website for more information: https://seadesignfest.org/

08/04/2026