Kandou Structural Engineering and Testing is a California practice based in the Bay Area, built on a can‑do attitude. Inspired by nature and grounded in deep technical expertise, we help clients make clear, confident decisions about complex structures so they can build a resilient tomorrow.

  • Kandou is the Persian word for honeycomb, one of nature’s most elegant structural systems. With the least amount of material, honeycomb achieves strength, efficiency and graceful repetition. That logic guides our work: we aim for solutions that save resources, deliver resilient performance and sit in harmony with their context and communities.

    Kandou was founded by Saeed Fathali to bring advanced analysis, testing and seismic assessments to new and existing buildings. Our work spans consulting, construction and risk management, supported by nonlinear response history analysis, finite element modeling, shake‑table testing and automation. By understanding structures in greater detail, we avoid overdesign and unnecessary disruption, and we find efficient paths forward that respect both existing buildings and construction timelines.

    While our work is complex, the value we provide is clarity. Our solutions are understandable, practical and buildable. We work in partnership with architects, owners and developers to support their vision rather than limit it. True to our name, we bring a can‑do attitude and a collaborative, straightforward way of working to every project.

Inspired by nature.

Our values

Can-do mindset backed by deep technical expertise.

  • Every project is approached with practical curiosity, optimism, and the determination to find the best solution for safety, constructability, and responsible use of resources.

  • We are transparent with our clients and clear in our communication. If we can’t explain an idea simply, we try again.

  • We combine science, creativity and technology to solve problems in ways that are both efficient and elegant.

  • Our decisions are guided by integrity rather than convenience, and we work with respect for our clients,  our partners, and our planet.

See our work

Powered by technical rigor and can-do attitude.

Our ethos

What makes us different is our commitment to practical engineering, clear communication, and solutions that are elegant, buildable, and durable.

  • Start with the simplest method that answers the question, then go deeper only when it adds value.

  • Use tools and automation to explore options quickly and make advanced analysis practical.

  • Decisions reflect design intent, construction realities, and risk so they work in real projects.

  • Translate technical results into clear narratives that stakeholders can act on.

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Meet the founder

As founder of Kandou, Saeed Fathali combines technical rigor with a practical, client-focused approach and a passion for high-impact engineering solutions.

  • Saeed Fathali, PhD, SE, PE, LEED AP
    Founder

    As founder of Kandou Structural Engineering and Testing, Saeed Fathali unites consulting, construction, testing, and risk assessment in a single practice. The name reflects both a can-do mindset and the honeycomb in Persian, a model of efficient, resilient structure that guides Kandou’s approach to every project.

    Saeed works on new design, retrofit, and peer review in materials from wood and steel to concrete and composite materials such as fiber reinforced polymer (FRP). Four years at the University at Buffalo earthquake simulation laboratories, one of the largest in the world, built his foundation in seismic engineering, advanced technologies such as base isolation and dampers, and the behavior of structural and building systems, including nonstructural components. He uses analysis, testing, and functional recovery thinking to plan how buildings and facilities can regain operation after major earthquakes, applying sophisticated tools where they add value and keeping solutions simple where they do not.

    Saeed’s leadership experience at WSP in San Francisco, Structural Technologies, and Partner Engineering and Science, together with project work with Arup in San Francisco, Rutherford + Chekene (R+C), Maffei Structural Engineers, Mar Structural Design, and ICC-ES, anchors Kandou in high-level practice. His contributions to ASCE 7, ASTM, ACI, SEAONC, SEAOSC, and ICC-ES include provisions that enabled the solar industry to use ballasted rooftop systems while meeting seismic requirements. He is currently a voting member of the ASCE/SEI committee developing the new standard for shake-table testing of nonstructural components. This combination of project work and code development allows him to guide architects, owners, and investors through regulatory change and turn ambitious ideas into clear, buildable, resilient solutions.