Magnusson Klemencic Associates

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

07/20/2026

The FIFA World Cup came to North America this year, with games hosted all over the continent. In the U.S., the MKA-designed Lumen Field and Levi’s Stadium (rebranded to “Seattle Stadium” and “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” for the duration of the games) each held six matches. These stadiums weren’t the only structures affected by the massive crowds of soccer fans.

Here in Seattle, Pacific Place—a six-story retail, restaurant, and entertainment complex designed by MKA—boasted multiple floors packed with fans eager to watch the games on the giant ClearLED screen, reviewed by MKA with the World Cup in mind.

Just a few blocks away, Overlook Walk was so full of people watching the game from Pier 62 that the crowd spread onto the Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion’s public rooftop garden, designed by MKA to integrate into Overlook Walk and maintain a continuous and accessible connection between the city and the waterfront. According to Seattle FIFA World Cup 26, over 500,000 people visited the park from June 11 through June 27.

No matter the size or use (like watching soccer instead of tropical fish), our designs are innovative, imaginative, and groundbreaking while being safe, reliable, and enduring. From cheering on Team USA at Levi’s Stadium to participating in the festivities at Overlook Walk, MKA is proud to create structures where people can gather, have fun, and build community—in Seattle and beyond.

📸: MKA (Jonathon Centofranchi); Kirk Hostetter; Seattle Sounders

07/16/2026

The Canyon at Mission Rock in San Francisco, California, is a 23‑story, 360,000‑square‑foot residential tower defined by its striking stepped façade, inspired by natural rock formations. The sculpted massing creates a carved “valley” through the building—giving the tower both its name and its distinctive character. Inside, the project delivers 283 residential units, office and co-working space on Levels 2–3, and retail at Level 1. One below‑grade level houses MEP systems and back‑of‑house functions.

Developed jointly by Tishman Speyer and the San Francisco Giants , Mission Rock features outdoor amenity spaces with views toward the San Francisco Bay and Oracle Park. During construction, the project team signed a San Francisco Giants baseball and asked MKA for permission to cast it into the foundation.

Yes—we approved that RFI.

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07/04/2026

Announcing the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library! It’s hard to imagine a more fitting day than July 4th on the nation’s 250th anniversary to honor a presidential legacy and structural design rooted in progress, conservation, and the wide‑open West.

Join in the festivities from afar by visiting the celebration live stream and seeing the stunning hybrid timber building, rolling green roof, and beautiful nature-inspired details. The celebration will also continue tonight with the “Eyes on the Stars: Theodore Roosevelt and the West” drone show, airing at 6:30 PM PST, featuring 1776 drones lighting up the night sky.



📸: Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library | Chad Ziemendorf
🎆: https://www.trlibrary.com/video/view/dFGrXz7Nj8s?pid=PLWdA8F0rSmNg

07/02/2026

As Structural Engineer of Record, MKA is a proud member of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library project team, and we’re counting down until the library's grand opening on July 4, 2026, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary! This innovative and sustainable landmark will serve as a major cultural and educational destination in Medora, North Dakota. We are honored to support the vision for a facility that reflects the character of the Badlands and celebrates Theodore Roosevelt's legacy.

06/23/2026

This , we are proud to honor the women across MKA who embody our commitment to striving for better. Their problem‑solving, mentorship, and technical expertise elevate our teams and shape the structures and communities we serve. We are proud to celebrate the people who help define who we are as a firm.