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welcome home | build

mid the natural and rugged beauty of the Pacific In 1993 when a 6.0 earthquake hit Klamath Falls, ZCS began to take that
Northwest, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the knowledge and apply it specifically to building design and structures in
seismic forces that shaped the region are still at the Northwest. They were assisted by a catalogue of Oregon’s most
Awork. But a locally-based Oregon company has been vulnerable buildings that Allen and Matthew Smith (now Principal in
working quietly for over a decade to help improve safety from the ZCS Oregon City office) participated in developing while still stu-
the ground up for our schools and public safety buildings. dent classmates at OIT, and also began supporting community aware-
ness and training around the region.
A COMPANY’S HISTORY
NEW SCIENCE, NEW BUILDING CODES
ZCS Engineering & Architecture was founded in 1978 as Zbinden
Engineering by Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) professor “Modern seismic building codes really have only been around since the
Richard Zbinden as a structural engineering firm in Klamath Falls. early 90s,” says Smith, “and there’s a lot of buildings that were built
Through several iterations and key hires, it morphed to rebrand as ZCS before then in Oregon.” Of specific concern were the schools and
Engineering & Architecture in 2017, a comprehensive design and engi- safety services in the state, and in 2009 a state grant program was intro-
neering firm with nearly 50 industry professionals in civil, structural, duced to retrofit these facilities as funds were available. ZCS, with their
and architectural design and engineering working from four offices in knowledge of the buildings at risk, became key players in connecting
Medford, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, and Oregon City. school districts and public safety facilities to this grant money, as well
as providing the technical expertise to bring the job to completion.
Along with their professional growth, the company’s direction was “It’s an invasive process,” says Allen, and ZCS brings its background
shaped by several key environmental events. When the Loma Prieta and experience, combined with input from geotech engineers, hazmat
earthquake occurred in 1989 (the year now-President Russell Carter consultants, and other agencies as needed to be sure each project fully
joined the company), the industry began learning more about seismic addresses the impact of bringing the site up to current code.
detailing in building design. “Seismic was never really a driving fac-
tor in structural design before this,” recalls Sylas Allen, current Vice It’s been a time of seeing new seismic science continue to inform
President and Principal at ZCS, of his early years in the industry. “The the building industry and the company’s longstanding connection to
biggest criteria was usually to design for wind.”

92 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2022