The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2016 Jury of Fellows has elevated two SOM Directors—Charles Besjak and Nicole Dosso—to its College of Fellows, a prestigious honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to the profession.
Founded in 1952, the Fellowship program is one of the highest honors the AIA can bestow upon a member. Election to the College of Fellows not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level. Out of the AIA’s total membership of more than 88,000 people, only 3,200 are distinguished with a fellowship or honorary fellowship.
SOM Director Charles Besjak is in charge of structural engineering for SOM’s New York office. Working in close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, Besjak has developed innovative structural systems for laboratories, airports, hospitals, office and government buildings, and residential centers. His portfolio includes some of SOM’s tallest projects, such as the Busan Lotte Town Tower in South Korea, the Pertamina Energy Tower in Jakarta, and the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou. Other notable structures include the U.S. Air Force Academy Center for Character & Leadership Development in Colorado Springs, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Terminal in Mumbai, and the King Abdullah Financial District Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Also Director in the New York office, Nicole Dosso is a recognized expert in the technical challenges and solutions for the design of tall buildings in complex urban contexts. Her experience includes work on 7 World Trade Center and One World Trade Center in New York City. Her other high-rise work in New York includes the Baccarat Hotel & Residences, the mixed-use development Manhattan West, the commercial office buildings 250 West 55th Street and 383 Madison Avenue, and the exterior renovation of 2 Broadway. In May 2012, Dosso received a Presidential Citation from the American Institute of Architects for her contributions at the World Trade Center site.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, with an 80-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment. The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with more than 1,700 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award—in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Abu Dhabi.