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Deerfield Road

Project Details

Architect :    Jason Thomas Architect
Construction Type :    Steel/Wood Hybrid
Services :    Structural Engineering
Builder :    James O'Neill
Location :    Water Mill, NY

Project Summary

A 12,000 sqft single family residence in Watermill NY. This home features a roof top deck, large second floor cantilevers, full height windows and doors for spectacular views of the backyard.
deerfield road structural engineering foundation construction

Engineering Challenges

One of the major design elements of this home were the 8 foot roof and second floor cantilevers. These elements give the client amazing views of the backyard but required unique structural steel details.

The long cantilevered steel had to step down in height to stay hidden in the floor cavities as waterproofing at the exterior portions of the deck required shorter structural framing.

Due to the full height glazing there was little flexibility in reinforcing/cantilevering methods. DAE used split cantilevers to keep the cantilevers and window headers in the same plane as to not interfere with the architectural intent.

Core Design Concepts

Helical Pile Foundation

Through the use of soil borings, DAE found that there was inadequate soil bearing capacity for typical foundation footings. To residual damage to neighboring foundation DAE used helical piles and grade beams, which provide stability to the superstructure with ease of installation.

Floating Stairs to Roof Deck

To maintain the clean look in the back of the house; while connecting the first, second, and roof decks; stairs were hidden on the side of the house. DAE used welded tube steel beams to vertical columns in the exterior wall of the house to create "floating" landing platforms between levels.

Pile Supported Retaining Walls

Some of the foundation was not braced by floor framing due to the placement of stair openings along the perimeter of the building. At locations with lack of bracing, DAE designed the walls to retain the soil independently with the use of larger footings with helical piles in tension and compression.