Abstract: Disclosed is an added damping and stiffness structural element for use in optimizing the design of buildings and structures subjected to earthquake, wind or other forces that induce vibratory oscillations in buildings or structures. The added damping and stiffness element comprises conventional structural engineering materials having high shear, tension and compression moduli for transferring force from one point in a structure to another point that experience relative displacement during vibratory motion of the building or structure, and viscoelastic polymers or rubber material having lower compression, tension, and shear moduli than the structural component and also having high energy dissipation properties that absorb the majority of the strain deformation that occurs between the two points of the structure.