Structural Engineers HALL of FAME
Postings here, document and acknowledge the achievements of individuals honored by the Structural Engineers Association of Washington (SEAW) since the 1950 establishment of the organization.
Dean Ratti - Life Member 2008, Engineer of the Year 1993
Born in Long Beach, California into a family with a heritage in stone-cutting originating in the Italian Alps, Dean Ratti (1926-2019) moved to Seattle at age 3. He received the MSCE from the University of Washington with support from the GI Bill and a research fellowship.
Dean practiced in Seattle throughout his career: beginning in 1959 in partnership with Bruce Olsen as Olsen/Ratti, which became Olsen, Ratti & Fossatti in 1977, in 1978 Ratti Fossatti, and in 1989 Ratti Swenson Perbix. His wife Ursula Ratti managed the firm office for 32 years.
A long-time advocate for historic preservation, Dean worked on renovations and restorations of numerous historic structures, including many of Seattle's landmark buildings in Pioneer Square and throughout the greater Seattle area. He counts the Park Hilton among his most memorable projects, at the time of its construction the tallest reinforced concrete ductile frame on the West Coast as well as one of the first uses of top-down construction for a major downtown structure -- which according to Dean "went up and down at the same time." Other notable projects include the Tacoma Financial Center, Seattle's Pier 69, the Applied Physics Lab and the Fisheries Building at UW, and the renovation of Queen Anne High School, Latitude 47, Park Place Office Building, Market Place Buildings and Housing, Pioneer Building, and Grand Central on the Park.
In addition to his SEAW involvement, Dean Ratti held membership in the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). He also taught the Structures course at the UW College of Architecture and Urban Planning for 6 years.
Community engagement included service on the Seattle Design Commission 1982-86 and as a member of the I-90 Citizens Committee.
At the time of his recognition as Engineer of the Year, his colleagues noted that "Behind the scenes, he fuels and motivates the development of provisions for seismic design of new buildings, existing buildings, and nonstructural elements." (Source: Equilbrium Summer 1993)
Posted April 2012, updated October 2019