Multifamily
Does Light Gauge Steel Work for Mid-Rise Multifamily? Type III and Podium
Yes. Load-bearing light gauge steel is well suited to mid-rise multifamily over a concrete podium (Type III construction), and switching from wood to LGS can add density. On the 8th & Grand project in Los Angeles, redesigning a wood scheme to load-bearing light gauge steel took the building from five to six storeys and from 500 to 700 units.
TESH Group6 min read
Mid-rise multifamily, the four-to-seven-storey buildings that make up much of California's new housing, is one of the strongest use cases for load-bearing light gauge steel.
What is podium (Type III) construction?
A common mid-rise approach places several storeys of residential framing on top of a concrete podium that holds parking or retail. The residential floors above the podium are where the structural system is chosen, and load-bearing light gauge steel is a non-combustible alternative to wood for those floors.
How light gauge steel can add density
Because light gauge steel is strong and slim, redesigning a wood scheme in LGS can recover space and storeys. On 8th & Grand in downtown Los Angeles, Astani Enterprise Development brought us a wood design at five storeys over podium: 500 units across 500,000 SF. Redesigned in load-bearing light gauge steel and approved by Tony Ghodsi, SE, of Englekirk Engineering, the building became six storeys at 600,000 SF, and eliminating double party walls and redundant staircases raised it to 700 units. It later sold to Carmel Partners.
| Metric | Wood scheme | Light gauge steel |
|---|---|---|
| Storeys over podium | 5 | 6 |
| Units | 500 | 700 |
| Floor area | 500,000 SF | 600,000 SF |
Why developers choose LGS for mid-rise
- Non-combustible structure on every residential floor.
- Added density and storeys versus a comparable wood scheme.
- Panelized prefabrication for schedule and a smaller field crew.
- Strong seismic behavior from a lighter, ductile structure.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you build mid-rise apartments with light gauge steel?
- Yes. Load-bearing light gauge steel is well suited to mid-rise multifamily over a concrete podium (Type III), and it is used across four-to-seven-storey residential buildings in California.
- What is podium or Type III construction?
- It is a mid-rise approach that places several storeys of residential framing over a concrete podium holding parking or retail. The residential floors above can be framed in load-bearing light gauge steel.
- Does light gauge steel add units compared to wood?
- It can. On 8th & Grand in Los Angeles, redesigning a wood scheme to load-bearing light gauge steel took the building from five to six storeys and from 500 to 700 units by eliminating double party walls and redundant staircases.
Build with light gauge steel