Forell Elsesser Structural Engineers
Forell’s site gives complex structural engineering work a clearer project-first system.
Forell | Elsesser is a San Francisco structural and earthquake engineering firm specializing in seismic and innovative engineering for new and retrofitted construction. Aero redesigned and rebuilt forell.com as a headless platform that presents the firm’s portfolio, services, expertise, news, and project depth in a more usable structure.
Complex work needed a clearer path.
Forell’s previous site had a functioning backend, but the experience around it did not match the quality or precision of the firm’s engineering work. Project examples were harder to surface, navigation did not give prospective clients a clear way through the firm’s services and expertise, mobile performance was inconsistent, and internal teams had limited flexibility when updating content. Forell needed a site that could carry a large body of technical work with better structure, stronger visual direction, and a front end built for performance and control.
The site helps visitors understand Forell through projects, services, expertise, and current work.
The platform uses a Next.js front end with WordPress as a headless CMS, giving Forell a faster, more flexible way to present its work while keeping content updates manageable for the team. In practice, that means:
Showcase project depth
Featured projects introduce Forell’s structural engineering work through real buildings, project categories, locations, and practical design challenges.
Explore by sector
Visitors can move through the portfolio by project type, sector, service area, and project map instead of relying on a single linear case study list.
Explain technical services
Service pages clarify Forell’s work in structural engineering, peer review, plan checking, value engineering, non-ductile concrete consulting, and constructability review.
Highlight engineering expertise
Expertise areas such as sustainability, mass timber, office conversions, base isolation, design-build, earthquake engineering, and renewable energy give clients a clearer view of the firm’s technical range.
Publish firm updates
News and project updates give Forell a place to share awards, milestones, research, sustainability work, and firm activity as the practice continues to evolve.
Update content clearly
Flexible content tools help Forell’s team keep pages current while maintaining a consistent design system across projects, services, and supporting content.
A technical site for a technical firm.
Aero’s work with Forell began in 2012, and the current site reflects a partnership built around careful modernization rather than a surface-level redesign. The work connects a stronger visual system with a more capable front end, clearer project discovery, and a content structure that can keep pace with the firm’s portfolio. After 14 years, the goal remains practical: help Forell present complex engineering work with the same clarity and discipline that shapes the work itself.
We’ve partnered with Aero Design for more than 15 years, and the experience has been exceptional from start to finish. About two years ago, their team completely redesigned our website, and we continue to be extremely pleased with the results. Ben and his team are responsive, proactive, and consistently attentive to our needs. They not only address our questions quickly but also stay on top of security updates and maintenance without requiring us to follow up. Their professionalism, expertise, and commitment to client service make them a pleasure to work with. We highly recommend Aero Design to any organization looking for a reliable and talented web design partner.
