The design and the analysis of an irregular six storey office building are described. The building has an unconventional earthquake resisting system: a precast concrete cross-braced perimeter frame incorporating force-limiting devices (termed "inserts") in the form of enclosed axially yielding short steel members. A series of inelastic dynamic analyses indicates that the system very effectively combines the inherent strength and stiffness of the cross-braced frame with the energy-dissipating function of the yielding inserts. Cost estimates indicate that the system is a particularly economic one.