San Francisco, CA: The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2014 Jury of Fellows has elevated Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP’s Steve Sobel, FAIA, and Michael Duncan, FAIA, 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 fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level. Out of a total AIA membership of over 80,000, there are just over 3,000 distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship.
As a Director in the San Francisco office of SOM, Steve Sobel’s experience includes the management of a wide range of project types. His extensive portfolio includes: the 74-story China World Trade Center in Bejing; the San Bernardino Justice Center; San Francisco’s St. Regis Hotel & Residences; and the LEED® Platinum-designed 350 Mission in San Francisco, which will become Salesforce’s headquarters in 2015.
With extensive international experience, Michael Duncan, Design Director in SOM’s San Francisco office, has played lead roles in many signature SOM projects. These include the 18-million-square-foot Beijing Finance Street; library, central plant, and master plan projects for the University of California, Merced; and the International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport.
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 a 75-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.