Studio NYL Structural Engineers is no longer the new kid on the block in regional, national or international design markets. The Boulder, Colo., engineering firm, founded in 2004 by principals Chris O'Hara and Julian Lineham, has pushed the boundaries of structural design, tackling new project types and geography that have made it one of the most sought-after structural designers in the region.
Recent work illustrates the firm's diversity: devising a stainless-steel skeleton to fit within the body of a skier in "The Skier's Edge," a bronze sculpture erected at the base of a Vail, Colo., ski resort; design of heavy-timber, glulam and clear-glass stairs at two upscale houses in Aspen, Colo.; the retractable bridge that cantilevered out from the stage above the audience in the Rolling Stones' "Bridges to Babylon" tour; the structural components for the Twister ride at Universal Studios Florida theme park in Orlando; and schematic design for a "floating island" in the Mur River in Graz, Austria, as part of a cultural exhibit designed by artist Vito Acconci.