03/09/2026
When a structural failure makes the headlines, the real lesson is often hidden in the details.
The recent structural emergency outlined in this New York Times article is a powerful reminder of something every structural engineer understands: a safe structure is only as strong as the entire process that brings the design to life.
A structural design does not exist only on paper.
It has to survive the journey from design, to detailing and fabrication, installation and inspection, as well as verification and occupation. This is why quality assurance and quality control are not administrative exercises. They are engineering controls.
As we increasingly adapt, upgrade and repurpose existing buildings rather than simply building new ones, structural engineers will be dealing with more complex interfaces between existing structures, new loads, new uses and construction activities.
We believe that structural integrity is a discipline embedded into every stage of the project, because the most important structural failure is the one we prevent.
Read more:
Drawings obtained by The New York Times and reviewed by engineers show insufficient reinforcements on eight more steel columns than previously known at a Manhattan building.