Case Study: Selldorf Architects achieves a hybrid wood solution for a Massachusetts family home with IDEA StatiCa

Selldorf Architects redesigns a 2-story Martha’s Vineyard home with IDEA StatiCa in 14 days

Selldorf Architects, working with engineering firm CRAFT, faced significant challenges designing a steel-to-timber connection for a family home on Martha’s Vineyard. The project required designing for high winds on a steep bluff and involved a complex, unpropped balcony that introduced forces in two orthogonal directions at the node points. They turned to IDEA StatiCa for its advanced connection design capabilities.

IDEA StatiCa provided the flexibility to create custom materials and complex geometries, allowing the team to rapidly prototype the steel joint and visualize force transfer. This led to a redesigned solution using a wide flange section hub, which ensured continuity and direct force transmission. Using IDEA StatiCa significantly reduced modeling time and enabled the team to successfully evolve the design from a full steel frame into a hybrid wood solution, reducing the amount of steel required.

Selldorf Architects