Leif Johnson

About

Leif is a licensed structural engineer with over 16 years of experience designing high-profile civic structures, museums and performing arts centers throughout the United States. Before joining StructureCraft as Structural Engineering Director in May of 2021, Leif spent his entire career with Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) in Seattle, Washington where he was a Principal of MKA’s Cultural Group and leader of the MKA’s Timber Technical Specialty Team.

Leif grew up in Iowa City, Iowa before attending Lawrence University in Wisconsin and Washington University in St. Louis where he obtained undergraduate degrees in Physics and Civil Engineering. Leif stayed on at Washington University in St. Louis to receive his master’s degree in Structural Engineering. Shortly after graduation and before moving to Seattle, Leif won the 2004 Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Structural Engineering Traveling Fellowship, where he toured Europe to study structures inspired by natural forms for his thesis “Nature as Inspiration: Tools for Structural Art”.

Leif has always loved timber engineering, and he was recently recognized for his work in timber design when awarded one of the influential 40 under 40 professionals for Building, Design and Construction in 2018. Leif brings his consulting engineering experience and passion for timber to StructureCraft and will led the new Seattle office to grow StructureCraft’s work in the United States.