The Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) has recognized three SOM projects as part of its Professional Project Award program, which honors and showcases outstanding achievements in design and construction within the architectural engineering field. JTI Headquarters won three separate awards: Best Overall Project, an Award of Merit in the Structural Systems Design category, and an Award of Merit in the Architectural Engineering Integration category. Also, Kingtown International Center was recognized with two awards: Most Innovative Project and an Award of Merit in the Structural Systems Design category. Additionally, the Kathleen Grimm School of Leadership and Sustainability at Sandy Ground received a Structural Systems Design Award of Excellence, a Lighting Systems Design Award of Excellence, an Architectural Engineering Integration Award of Excellence, and a Mechanical Systems Design Award of Merit. The winners were announced at the 2016 AEI Conference in Worcester, Massachusetts.
JTI Headquarters is the result of collaboration among SOM’s architecture, interior design, and structural and civil engineering practices. Surrounded by parkland and built on a former industrial site, the building is located in a Geneva district that is home to prestigious international organizations. Ranking among the most sustainable buildings in Europe, its design consolidates four existing JTI premises within a single landmark building and demonstrates SOM’s commitment to integrated design, sustainability, and innovative workplace solutions.
Kingtown International Center, located in Nanjing, China, represents an evolution of integrated architectural, structural, and mechanical systems. Diagonal braces wrap the tower, defining its faceted form and creating a highly efficient structure. A double-layer curtain wall responds to the city’s extreme heat as a buffer between the outside air and the building’s interior. The facade design improves MEP performance, increases daylighting, and enhances comfort for the tower’s occupants.
The Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability at Sandy Ground is the first net zero energy school in New York City and one of the first worldwide. The project helps the city explore sustainable design strategies and achieve its ambitious goals to reduce global warming emissions. The school’s many sustainable design features include photovoltaic arrays wrapping the roof and south facade, a geo-exchange heating and cooling system, and interiors designed to maximize natural light.