Patio cover cantilever column on top of retaining wall

[shacked]

I am working on a small project and I would like to get opinions about my approach to a problem.

Scope of work is a free standing patio cover roof (300sf) where 2 of the posts are supported on top of a new retaining wall.
Since there are no walls for lateral resistance, and this is southern california, the posts are designed as steel cantilever columns in order to resist lateral seismic loads due to the patio cover.

The architect just shows the posts landing on top of the wall, but in order to reduce damage to the retaining wall due to deflection of the posts I am thinking about routing the retaining wall around the posts, and the space in between can just be infilled to make the wall look continuous. See attached pdf.

Curious what your opinions are.
Thanks

 

[humanengr]

You may want to consider providing concrete plinths at the post locations.
The concrete plinths would support the posts and would be integral to the retaining wall, essentially making the retaining wall thicker
at the post locations.
Routing the wall around the posts has drawbacks including constructability and the continuity of the wall with respect
to load resistance and transfer.

 

[shacked]

Just learned a new term...I had no idea what a plinth was until now.
That makes sense...basically a square reinforced column that the steel column sits on and the masonry retaining wall extends through.

Is this correct?