We’re a small firm with broad expertise and a passion for doing things right.

The BASE Design team members, a group of six professionally dressed diverse business people standing in front of a staircase with marble and wood railing at their office building in San Francisco.

Our Mission: Be the BASE our clients rely on for their structural engineering needs from concept planning through project completion - combining technical excellence with a personal, hands-on approach to every project.

Our People

Gokhan Akalan, Principal of BASE Structural Engineering in San Francisco, poses in front of his office window in a professional portrait.
Katy Briggs, Principal and Co-Founder of BASE Design Structural Engineering. She has long brown hair, is smiling, wearing a white blazer and black top, standing indoors near a window with city buildings in the background.
Jihong Li, senior project engineer for BASE Structural Engineering in San Francisco, poses in front of his office window in a professional portrait.

  • Email: Ventura@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997‍ ‍x 4

    Professional Focus:
    - New Construction (Steel & Concrete Structures)
    - Existing Buildings (Renovations & Adaptive Reuse)
    - Seismic Evaluation & Retrofit Design - Tenant Improvements

    Education:
    - Stanford University, M.A., Structural Engineering
    - Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico), B.A., Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering

    Personal Interests:
    - Soccer
    - Travel
    - Cooking
    - Video Games
    - Movies

  • Email: Jihong@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 × 5

    Professional Focus:
    - New Construction (Wood & Steel Structures
    - Existing Buildings (Renovation & Alterations)
    - Seismic Evaluation & Retrofit Design - Tenant Improvements

    Education:
    - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S., Civil Engineering
    - University at Buffalo, B.S., Civil Engineering

    Personal Interests:
    - Swimming
    - Billiards
    - Skiing

A female member of the BASE Design structural engineering team, with long dark hair, wearing a white button-up shirt and khaki pants, standing confidently in an office with sheer white curtains in the background.
Bosun Liu, a young man in a navy suit and white shirt sitting at a desk in front of a window with city buildings in the background. He's a member of the BASE Design Structural Engineering firm in San Francisco.

  • Email: Cherrie@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 × 3

    Professional Focus:
    - Wood-framed Construction  
    - Seismic Detailing
    - Structural Design Support

    Education:
    - University of California, Berkeley, M.S., Structural Engineering
    - University of California, Davis, B.S., Civil Engineering

    Personal Interests:
    - Windsurfing
    - Watercolor painting (landscapes) - Home Remodeling Shows

  • Email: Katy@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 × 2

    Professional Focus:

    - Structural engineering design for new construction and existing buildings

    - Specializes in retrofits, additions, and structural upgrades

    - Known for effective communication and working with the team to deliver innovative solutions

    Education:
    - Stanford University, M.S., Structural Engineering

    - Columbia University, B.S., Civil Engineering

    Personal Interests:
    - Spending time with friends and family
    - Urban hikes
    - Word games and reading

  • Email: Gokhan@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 x1

    Professional Focus:
    - Structural engineering design of new facilities and renovation of existing structures
    - Extensive experience with architects, developers, and public agencies on education, healthcare, commercial, and mixed-use projects

    Education:
    - University of Michigan M.S., Structural Engineering
    - Pamukkale University B.S., Civil Engineering

    Personal Interests:
    - Ultramarathons and trail running
    - Mountain races
    - Exploring new trails

  • Email: Boson@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 × 6

    Professional Focus:
    - Wood, Steel & Concrete Structural Systems
    - Structural Modeling - Structural Design & Documentation Support

    Education:
    - University of California, Irvine
    B.S., Structural Engineering

    - University of California, Berkeley,
    M.S., Structural Engineering in Mechanics and Materials

    Personal Interests:
    - Kayaking
    - Hiking
    - Photography

  • Email: Suong@BASEdesigninc.com | Direct Phone: 415-466-2997 × 7

    Professional Focus:
    - BIM Management - Revit Modeling - Multi-Disciplinary Model Coordination
    - Structural Detailing & Drawing Production

    Education:
    - University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, Bachelor of Interior Design

    Personal Interests:
    - running and hiking

Cherrie Li, a woman in business attire standing in front of a window with a cityscape view. She's a member of the BASE Design Structural Engineering firm in San Francisco.

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