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realize their initial vision, not have them restricted by what
they’ve seen before.
As a boy, O’Hara was intrigued by bridges, and graduated
with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Notre
Dame. But he started pushing the structural envelope and cut
his teeth while working at M.G. Mclaren Consulting Engineers
in New York City. O’Hara soon established a reputation for cre-
ating complex structures, like amusement park rides and dy-
namic entertainment venues, including the Bridges to Babylon
tour for the Rolling Stones.
Anativeof England, Linehamwas trained incivil engineering
at theUniversity of Bristol and beganhis career at the esteemed
YRMArchitects and Planners in London. There he workedwith
some of the leading structural engineers in the country.
But Lineham was called by the beauty of Colorado and re-
located to Boulder in 1997 to work with a small Boulder firm.
He talked O’Hara into joining him there in late 2001, and three
years later the pair left to start their own firm. Together they
bring a unique, cosmopolitan aspect to the Colorado architec-
ture scene.
“If there’s a novel twist to a project, if it requires something
unique and outside the box, I call Chris and Julian,” said Gregory
Friesen, principal of CSNA Architects in Colorado Springs.
Friesen is working with Studio NYL on a renovation of the
Alcuin Library at St. John’s University in northern Minnesota,
a landmark building designed by Bauhaus architect Marcel
Breuer.
Lineham and O’Hara’s innovative approach and can-do at-
titude are what have led to their being a favorite partner of
highly imaginative architects around theworld. The giant retail
Liverpool flagship store inMexico City is an outstanding exam-
ple of their audacious attitude and matching skill set.
“What’s unique about Studio NYL is their dedication and ef-
fort they bring to every project to investigate and find a struc-
tural solution that not onlymeets code and functional require-
ments, but also complements the architecture,” said Gerardo
Salinas, partner of the firm Rojkind Arquitectos, in Mexico City.
While Lineham and O’Hara are highly regarded for their ex-
pertise in developing the “bones” that inform the appearance of
the building, O’Hara has helped Studio NYL build an interna-
tional reputation for its work in façades.
As building performance has become increasingly import-
ant, the Studio NYL “skins group” has taken facades to a new
level, especially with regard to state-of-the-art materials and
thermal performance. O’Hara is at the forefront of knowledge
on the subject, and shares his expertisewith peers at the Ameri-
can Institute of Architects, Construction Specifications Institute
and façade conferences worldwide.
But what really sets this team apart is their highly collabora-
tive approach to every project. Lineham and O’Hara like to get
involved early, ideally at proposal stage, so the firmcan help the
design evolve.
“The success of any project is based on howwell we integrate
with the architect,” he said.
Whether they’re designing soaring glass walls, glass floors,
a cantilevered roof or honeycombed roofing, the Studio NYL
team can accomplish the same kinds of projects as larger mul-
tinational firms do, but they do it with a staff of 12.
/ The Poets of Structure: Form and Function /
