A California structural engineering studio.
CMZStudio is a California-licensed structural engineering studio. We focus on one thing, sound and code-compliant structure, available directly to architects, contractors, and homeowners.
- Founded
- 2019 Founded
- Projects stamped
- 1,000+ Projects stamped
- Permit approval rate
- 99% Permit approval rate
- Active projects / month
- 20+ Active projects / month
Structural engineering, built to get permitted.
CMZStudio is the structural engineering that turns a design into something a city will permit and a crew can build: the calculations, retrofits, and foundation work behind sound construction, available directly to outside design and build teams.
Our drawing standards and engineering workflow are built for California's permit environment. The result is a set that arrives complete: clear calculations, coordinated drawings, and the connection details a contractor can build from.
Built on engineering, technology, and accuracy.
We capture precise on-site conditions with Matterport 3D scanning, eliminating guesswork so every measurement is correct from day one. Combined with disciplined engineering workflows, that means faster, clearer, more dependable structural sets — and plans that pass plan-check the first time.
- Matterport 3D capture
- Exact as-built conditions on day one, so the structure is designed to what's really there.
- Workflows built from scratch
- Drawing standards and engineering processes tuned for California's permit environment.
- First-pass approvals
- Complete, coordinated sets that clear plan-check in one cycle, not five.
CMZStudio is led by Mason Zheng, who pairs two decades of structural engineering with a working knowledge of California's residential code and permit process.
Mason Zheng brings over two decades of engineering experience to California's residential and commercial sectors. After earning his civil engineering degree, he began his career at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in 2000, contributing to major infrastructure projects across the region.
His work included significant upgrades at Los Angeles International Airport and key municipal facilities — experience that gave him deep familiarity with California building codes, regulatory environments, and high-precision structural requirements.
Recognizing the growing demand for residential engineering and permit-ready design, Mason founded CMZStudio in 2019. Today, he leads the team in delivering structural plans that are clear, code-compliant, and designed to pass city review efficiently — helping homeowners build with confidence.
Engineering rigor, made legible.
We translate architectural intent into a sound, code-compliant structural system — and a permit set that clears plan-check the first time.
- 01DiscoverReview drawings, site, and structural intent.
- 02AnalyzeRun gravity and lateral analysis against current code.
- 03EngineerDesign the structural system and detail the connections.
- 04Stamp & SubmitDeliver stamped calculations and plan-check support.