Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are remarkable metallic materials with the ability to regain their original shape after being deformed due to temperature, stress, or strain. The applications of this technology have ranged from heart stents to spacecraft, but rarely has it been used in buildings. In designing a comprehensive renovation and expansion for the Grimes … Continued
Expanding possibilities for mass timber construction The Queens Braid is a conceptual design that shows how timber, a renewable and sustainable material, can be used as the primary structural material for a sports stadium. Designed for a prominent waterfront site in Queens, New York, it is conceived as an emblem for the next generation of … Continued
In May 2024, Energy Vault, a company specializing in long-duration, grid-scale energy storage, announced an exclusive global partnership with SOM. Having made strides in gravity energy storage systems (GESS)—which hold the potential to store and supply renewable energy to the power grid safely, for long periods, and without degrading—the global company sought out SOM’s architecture … Continued
Finding new solutions for residential conversion Three years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, New York City has defied the most dire predictions of urban decline, yet today the city faces new challenges. As the city continues to struggle with an acute housing shortage, 560,000 new residential units will need to be created by … Continued
For decades, the distinctive built fabric of American suburbs has largely depended on car travel and single-use zoning. In the process, this pattern of development has increased sprawl, exacerbated our carbon footprint, and heightened segregation within communities. As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to shape migration patterns, suburbs face new pressures and demands from their … Continued
Toward a carbon-negative architecture With 40 percent of global carbon emissions coming from the building industry and from buildings themselves, SOM is determined to develop new methods and materials in the pursuit of creating zero-carbon and carbon-negative buildings. Prometheus Materials, a start-up company spun out of a research program at the University of Colorado Boulder, … Continued
A vision for lunar architecture New Frontiers brings together technologies that promote health and wellness to create a settlement on the surface of the Moon—one that will enable scientists and engineers to explore and experiment with new technology. The project was developed through a design research collaboration between SOM and Lockheed Martin Space, a division that … Continued
A powerful tool for understanding wind performance One of the main considerations for any supertall tower is how it will resist wind forces, which can cause tall, slender buildings to sway. Wind against the tower can create concentrated vortices that cause the structure to vibrate. The issue is not only one of safety, but also … Continued
The “invisible” office A healthy workplace is about more than function and aesthetics. Our team of architects and engineers has spent years studying an “invisible” aspect of the spaces where we live and work: indoor air quality. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified public awareness about how indoor air quality can affect human health and wellbeing. … Continued
Buildings reimagined as a climate solution At COP26, the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, SOM unveiled Urban Sequoia—a concept for buildings and their urban context to absorb carbon at an unprecedented rate. SOM has developed the first step toward achieving this goal on a broad scale, with a design for a high-rise building … Continued