SOM recently welcomed clients, friends, and collaborators to celebrate the launch of our new Melbourne studio, located on the seventh floor of 189 Toorak Road—one of our own projects in the heart of South Yarra.
The evening marked an exciting milestone for SOM’s growing presence in Australia, bringing together many of the people who have shaped, supported, and collaborated with our Melbourne team. Senior Associate Principal Michael Powell opened the event with an Acknowledgement of Country before introducing SOM Partners Adam Semel and Scott Duncan, who reflected on SOM’s 90-year history, our integrated global practice, the opportunities that drew us to Australia, and the studio’s continued growth—now a team of 28.
Set atop the reimagined South Yarra Coffee Palace, 189 Toorak Road brings new life to a 19th-century Melbourne landmark. SOM restored its historic facade while sensitively integrating an 11-story contemporary addition, introducing flexible workspaces, cascading terraces, and a lightweight lattice structure that reflects a holistic approach to adaptive reuse and carbon reduction.
It was a pleasure to celebrate this next chapter with our community in a building that embodies many of the values that guide our work: a respect for history and placemaking, advocacy for climate action, and the importance of interdisciplinary design.
We look forward to sharing more soon about the design of our completed Melbourne studio and the building we now call home.
