Engineering Solutions for a More Inclusive Community

When Alta Housing set out to develop a 100% affordable, multi-family housing complex in Mountain View, California, the project demanded a construction approach that could deliver high quality without exceeding a tight budget. The solution came through the strategic use of prefabricated engineered wood products — including I-joists, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), plywood structural panels, and glued laminated timber (glulam) — each selected to meet specific structural and aesthetic demands throughout the building. 

This publication is designed for: architects, designers, builders 

This case study details how the project team — including developer Alta Housing, architect Van Meter Williams Pollack, structural engineer Murphy Burr Curry, and contractor Nibbi Brothers General Contractors — leveraged engineered wood to overcome a compact urban job site, maintain worker safety, reduce construction waste, and deliver a community-centered development on time. 

Published by APA — The Engineered Wood Association.