Research + Innovation

SOM is a laboratory that is constantly exploring new ways of practicing design.

We never stop pursuing new ideas

Every year, design and research teams at SOM generate new ideas that challenge how we will collaborate and build in the future. These ideas have a proven history of becoming industry standard practices worldwide.

Fabrication of the AMIE 1.0 prototype. © Oak Ridge National Laboratory

SOM has invested in research that has transformed the architecture, engineering, and construction industry—from developing some of the earliest collaborative CAD platforms to devising the engineering solution for the world’s tallest building.

Whether working with university research teams to explore the next frontier in robotic fabrication, collaborating with space agencies to envision life beyond Earth, teaming up with real estate and industry partners to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete construction, or advancing our projects independently, we seize the opportunity to pursue new ideas and applications for the sustainable buildings, cities, and communities of the future.

Spotlight: Advancing robotic construction

Digital fabrication has the potential to transform the way that we build, and it may lead to sustainable solutions. For an exhibition in London, SOM designed a vault structure made from glass bricks and constructed by robots—a live demonstration of new possibilities in efficient engineering.