Lucas Epp
Head of Engineering, StructureCraft
Lucas Epp is a structural engineer with more than 18 years of experience working in North America and abroad. He has led the structural design for a range of projects including cable nets for the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremonies and a 61-storey tower in Kuwait.
Lucas’ expertise with challenging structures has led him to be involved in projects where the intimate interaction of architecture and structure is critical to the success of the project. He is passionate about timber engineering and has built a team at StructureCraft of more than 40 engineers and designers hailing from around the world.
As vice president and head of engineering, Lucas currently leads the engineering, 3D design and drafting departments at StructureCraft. He speaks and writes widely across North America on mass timber design and construction, and has lectured at the Architectural Association in London, ETH Zurich, and the University of British Columbia. He is extensively involved in timber code development and was a member of the Structural Working Group for the ICC Tall Wood Code Committee.
He is an author of the Nail Laminated Timber Design Guide, and is an author of the recently published U.S. Mass Timber Floor Vibration Design Guide.
Branch 3D: A Mass Timber Paradigm Shift; Creating the Future of Mass Timber Construction
Branch is a next-generation software platform for building structure design which cuts across traditional boundaries between design and manufacturing in AEC. Branch seamlessly integrates real-time structural analysis and design, 3D modeling/detailing, and fabrication into a single, integrated design environment.
With Branch, all stakeholders—from owners and architects to engineers and CAM experts—can collaborate in a unified design space. This not only facilitates a smoother workflow but also enables real-time cost and carbon feedback on design changes, dramatically speeding up decision-making and enhancing accuracy. Users can explore high-level design concepts, like building massing, and instantly understand detailed impacts, including shop drawings, bills of materials, and CNC files. Branch is highly interactive and hackable, allowing designers to explore options without limitations. We believe that integrating data from all aspects of the process allows for faster exploration and holistic, elegant designs.
With a focus on the rapidly growing mass timber sector, Branch streamlines the entire design-to-manufacturing process. It promotes efficient, sustainable construction, reducing costs and accelerating time-to-market.
