Meeting Tipping Mar

Mark Stevenson has followed an unusual path to the practice of structural engineering. After a brief stint as a biological researcher, he embarked on an eighteen-year career as a fine woodworker, cabinet maker, and carpenter. His extensive experience both in residential remodeling and new construction kindled his interest in structural design and analysis. Mark returned to school at age 41, enrolling in a master’s program at the University of California at Berkeley. His hands-on experience in the construction industry gives him a unique perspective on the process of design and detailing.

In addition to his continuing interest in wood and timber construction, Mark has completed a wide variety of projects in steel, concrete, and masonry, including a unique base-isolated monument designed for a thousand-year service life.

Mark’s projects include several multi-unit residential and mixed-use developments. The David Brower Center / Oxford Plaza in Berkeley, for example, is a 250,000-square-foot complex, a center for environmental advocacy promoting sustainable building principles and a self-healing seismic system.

Mark received his master’s degree from UC Berkeley and his undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.