Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/255439
expanded based on meeting client needs and allowing individuals to fulfil their passions. We never would have got into the restoration of parking garages if it wasn't a particular interest of Ted Stone, one of our partners. Similarly with building science, that only happened because of the interest of a couple of people who picked it up and ran with it." The most recent addition to RJC's suite of services – structural glass and facade engineering – is the brain- child of principal John Kooymans, who joined the firm in 2010. "It's a specialized and unique field of engineer- ing," says Clark. "Anything you can imagine in glass, they can design." "We don't really get into your typical curtain wall- type facades," adds Kooymans modestly. "We do more the custom facade and structural elements." In fact, Kooymans and his team are responsible for a grow- ing number of bespoke glass elements in architectural designs around the world. "Each one is unique, and every job is different," says Kooymans, listing glass stairs, bridges, observation elements and towers among the projects in RJC's portfolio. In particular, Kooymans is excited to see construc- tion begin in June on the Erin Mills Town Centre in Mis- sissauga. "We're doing a glass-and-steel dome 90 feet in diameter in the main atrium. It will be the first dou- ble-curve, point-supported glass sphere in the world." The Willis Tower skybridge is another stage-steal- ing feat of engineering currently in design. Not for the faint of heart, this glass bar extends off the side of the Willis Tower in Chicago, as a complement to the structure's existing sky-ledges. With challenging projects like these, RJC has already become a national leader in the field. "I don't think there's any other company in North America that offers the type of service that we offer," says Kooy- mans. "There are a lot of other firms that do glass engi- neering, but we take it to the next level in a lot of ways. It's not just coming up with a concept; in many cases, we do shop drawings for contractors of the designs that we complete. We can take [the design] all the way to the end." RJC's structural glass and facade engineering team started out with just five people three years ago, and has already tripled in size. The service offerings that have been added over the years to RJC's core structural engineering practice complement it well, but are not about to overshadow it. RJC continues to be a leader in structural design and this part of the business has also seen steady growth, particularly in Toronto in recent years. RJC's Tibor Kokai brought "coupled shear walls" to the forefront in the Toronto market years ago and has now assisted in the development of a new "fork configuration damper" technology with the University of Toronto. This new technology allows damping systems to be placed within the linking beams of cores and shear walls, reducing the number or thickness of the shear wall lateral system components without wasting any usable floor area. This new system is currently being used in the design of a 207-metre, 55-storey mixed-use building in downtown Toronto. The company may not have a master plan for grow- ing the business, but it's a strategy that's working all the same. With nine offices in B.C., Alberta and Ontario, RJC serves clients locally and globally in both restora- tion and new construction markets. At 65 years young, it is the largest independent and Canadian-owned con- sulting engineering firm in the buildings industry. Clark attributes much of the company's success to its employee-centred culture. RJC was named one of "Canada's Top Employers for Young People" in 2010 and one of "Canada's Top Small and Medium Employ- ers" for 2014. Moreover, RJC is entirely owned by its employees. "Right from the beginning, John Read shared the wealth by bringing in shareholders, and it just evolved from there," says Clark. "It's about taking care of our people, and that's at the root of the culture here. Shares of the company are widely distributed, and all are held only by active employees. We have a really good succession plan that ensures we'll be around for a long time to come." n Left: The four-car LRT platform extensions are an important part of RJC's long-standing engineering work with the City of Calgary. Top: Willis Tower skybridge, Toronto, Ontario. Middle: As the structural engineers for the Bentall 5 class A office tower, RJC team members matched a new grid design to an existing six-level underground parking structure. february 2014 /9 p08-09 RJC coverstory.indd 9 14-01-22 10:13 AM