Nicholas F. Forell (1923 – February 19, 1998) was a

structural engineer Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research List of structural elements, structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants. Their work takes account mainly of ...

and a leading authority in the development of modern earthquake safety design. He was a founder and former president of the San Francisco firm Forell/Elsesser Engineers.

Early life

Nicholas was born in Züllichau, Germany, in 1923. In 1941, he immigrated to the United States and began living in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Military service

After the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

, Nicholas joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

in 1942, and was assigned to the

Signal Corps (United States Army) The United States Army Signal Corps (USASC) is a branch of the United States Army responsible for creating and managing communications and information systems for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860 by ...

' Heavy Construction Battalion operating with British troops in

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

.https://www.eeri.org/site/images/projects/oralhistory/forell.pdf

Education

Following the war, Nicholas was offered admission to the engineering program at

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

, and he graduated in 1949. Shortly after graduation, he moved to San Francisco to begin his career at Sverdrup & Parcel.

Notable projects

* Pacific Gas & Electric Headquarters seismic retrofit *

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is a modern art, modern and contemporary art museum and nonprofit organization located in San Francisco, California. SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art ...

structural design * Berkeley Civic Center seismic retrofit

Utah State Capitol historic seismic retrofits

* W. M. Keck Observatory structural design

Published works

* "Developments in earthquake design codes", 1981 * "Mexico earthquakes : Oaxaca - November 29, 1978, Guerrero", 1979

Personal life

Married to Carol Forell. Daughters Katey (finance) and Anne (architect)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forell, Nicholas 1923 births 1998 deaths People from Sulechów People from the Province of Brandenburg Emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States