Since 1904, Orchestra Hall has been home to the renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The Georgian building, designed by the pioneering architect Daniel Burnham, was in need of a dramatic makeover by the end of the 20th century. The project called for enhancing the concert hall experience by improving sightlines and acoustics, in addition to bolstering … Continued
As the centerpiece of a $2.6 billion expansion at the San Francisco International Airport, this iconic structure created a powerful identity for both the airport and the City of San Francisco. It also represented a watershed moment in the integration of structural and architectural design. The terminal is topped with a graceful roof whose wing-like … Continued
Poly International Plaza was envisioned by the China Poly Group as a landmark for the emerging Dawangjing district, a new hub for global business. Its innovative design responds to the geography and climate of Beijing—a region prone to extreme seasonal climate, pollution, and high seismicity. From its user experience to its environmental impact and construction, … Continued
Just steps from Columbus Circle and Central Park, this elegant new tower sits on a prominent one-acre site. Changing sky conditions and the surrounding Manhattan context interact with the building’s skin, resulting in an ever-shifting visual phenomenon. SOM clad the tower in semi-reflective, low-iron vision glass and vertical fins, which together add visual depth to … Continued
This project is part of the thriving Moscow City, a mixed-use district centrally located within the sprawling Russian metropolis and loosely based on London’s Canary Wharf and Paris’s La Défense. The complex will consist of an 85-story skyscraper and a 49-story office tower connected at the base by a transparent crystalline structure. The massive development … Continued
The University of Utah Campus Master Plan (CMP) provides an implementable planning framework for the 1,500-acre, 30,000-student campus in Salt Lake City. The plan calls for transforming the commuter-centric, parking-lot-ringed institution into an integrated, compact, sustainable, and residential academy. The ultimate goal of the plan is to guide efficient campus development in ways that engage, … Continued
Expanding an iconic structure Washington Dulles International Airport was the first airport in the United States designed for commercial jet aircraft. With its iconic swooping roofline, Eero Saarinen’s original 1962 terminal building is considered to be one of the designer’s finest works. But as air travel evolved, the need for adaptation became clear. Since 1985, … Continued
SOM comprehensively renovated and expanded the largest hub facility for Continental Airlines — Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport. New facilities include a 19-gate concourse for both international and domestic travel, a Federal Inspection Services (FIS) facility capable of processing 1,500 passengers per hour, an elevated departures roadway and dual arrivals roadway, a parking … Continued
The General Motors Renaissance Center represents one of the largest corporate relocations in history. In redesigning the mammoth 1970s-era complex to accommodate GM’s major divisions, SOM drew on its integrated architecture, engineering, and urban design capabilities. The resulting plan guides the redevelopment of the 5.5-million-square-foot complex, reconnecting the notoriously isolated megastructure with downtown Detroit. In … Continued
The desire to take advantage of the spectacular views of Jeddah and the Red Sea led to the design of this distinctive high-rise structure for the National Commercial Bank headquarters. Set in a 1.2-hectare plaza on the edge of the sea, the 27-story triangular bank is flanked by a helical parking garage. Instead of individual … Continued