ABOUT ANAX ENGINEERING
Structural Engineering for New and Existing Buildings
Anax Engineering, Inc. is a structural engineering consulting firm providing design, evaluation and specialty structural services for architects, developers, contractors and building owners.
Our work includes new construction, additions, renovations and existing-building projects across commercial, multifamily, mixed-use, industrial, medical and institutional markets. We also provides specialized services including excavation and earth retention design, structural investigations, critical façade examinations and structural peer review.
We approach each project with an emphasis on sound engineering, practical solutions, responsive coordination and experienced technical involvement throughout the project.
Engineering That Responds to the Project
Experienced Engineering Involvement — Senior engineering project management from initial evaluation through development of the structural solution.
Practical Design — Structural systems developed with performance, constructability and economy in mind.
Responsive Coordination — Direct communication with architects, owners, contractors and other members of the project team.
New & Existing Buildings — Experience ranging from new structural systems to complex renovations, investigations and modifications of existing construction.
What Defines Our Practice
Principal-Led Engineering
Senior engineering involvement throughout the project rather than only at major milestones.
Practical Structural Solutions
Design decisions informed by constructability, coordination, cost and actual project conditions.
Technical Depth
Structural analysis and engineering judgment applied to both conventional and complex building conditions.
Existing-Building Experience
A strong understanding of renovation, adaptive reuse, structural modification and field conditions.
Responsive Service
Clear communication and timely coordination with the project team.
OUR APPROACH
Practical Engineering. Direct Involvement.
Good structural engineering begins with understanding the priorities and constraints of the project. Architecture, building use, existing conditions, construction sequence, schedule and budget can all influence the structural solution.
Anax Engineering works closely with architects, developers, contractors and building owners to understand those conditions early and develop structural systems that respond to the project as a whole.
Our approach combines structural analysis with practical engineering judgment. We consider not only whether a system works mathematically, but how it will be detailed, coordinated and constructed and how it may interact with other building systems.
Direct involvement by the principal engineer helps maintain continuity throughout the project and allows important structural decisions to be addressed directly as the design develops and field conditions become better understood.
LEADERSHIP
Vladimir Kovacevic, PE, SE
President & Principal Structural Engineer
Vladimir began his undergraduate studies in 1996 at the University of Banja Luka, studying Structural Engineering. He later moved to the United States and continued his education at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Structural Engineering. He graduated with High Honors and began his professional career practicing structural engineering with firms in the Chicago area.
Vladimir was later accepted into the graduate program in Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a full scholarship and was appointed as a teaching assistant for the undergraduate courses in Design of Timber Structures and Advanced Structural Analysis.
His graduate studies also included research related to the rocking behavior of shear walls, the effects of higher modes of vibration on the structural response of tall buildings, and the effectiveness of lead-plug bearings in the seismic isolation of slender buildings with long fundamental periods of vibration. Upon completion of his studies, he was awarded a Master of Science in Engineering degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Vladimir returned to professional practice in the Chicago area and subsequently obtained engineering licenses in multiple states. Over the course of his career, he has developed extensive experience across a broad range of structural engineering projects throughout the country, including new construction, existing buildings and specialty structural assignments.
He founded Anax Engineering, Inc. in 2016 with the goal of providing technically sound, practical structural engineering services and a customized approach tailored to the individual needs of each client and project.
Outside the Office
Vladimir enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, reading and running. He is active in his community and enjoys volunteering and coaching his children’s sports teams.
EDUCATION
UC Berkeley
M.S. Structural Engineering
Illinois Tech
B.S. Civil Engineering
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Illinois SE
Licensed Structural Engineer with extensive experience in building structures and specialty structural work.
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
CA • IL • IN • FL • MI • WI
Professional engineering licensure supporting projects across multiple states.
CITY OF CHICAGO
Registered Structural Peer Reviewer
Independent structural peer review for qualifying City of Chicago permit projects.
NCEES RECORD
NCEES Record Holder
Professional engineering credentials maintained through NCEES to support multi-state licensure and mobility.
EXPERIENCE
Structural Experience Across Building Types and Project Conditions
Anax Engineering's experience includes projects ranging from new buildings and additions to renovations, adaptive reuse and investigation of existing structures.
The firm works across commercial, multifamily, mixed-use, industrial, warehouse, medical and institutional markets, with project scopes ranging from complete structural building design to highly focused evaluations and specialty structural assignments.
Existing-building work is an important part of the practice and includes structural modifications, repair and strengthening, façade evaluation, forensic investigation and structural assessment of conditions uncovered during renovation or construction.
The firm also provides excavation and earth retention design for projects where new foundations, additions or below-grade construction interact with existing buildings, property lines and challenging urban site conditions.
Representative Project Types
Multifamily & Mixed-Use
New buildings, additions, renovations and structural modifications.
Commercial & Retail
Retail buildings, tenant redevelopment, restaurants and multi-site commercial programs.
Industrial & Warehouse
Industrial facilities, warehouses and related structural systems.
Medical & Institutional
Healthcare, educational, cultural and other institutional facilities.
Existing Buildings & Adaptive Reuse
Evaluation, modification, strengthening and rehabilitation of existing structures.
Excavation & Specialty Structural Work
Earth retention, structural investigations, façade examinations and peer review.
Looking for a Structural Engineering Consultant?
Whether you are planning a new building, modifying an existing structure or addressing a complex structural condition, Anax Engineering can help evaluate the project and develop a practical path forward.