On Tuesday, December 12th, James Carpenter visited SOM’s San Francisco office to deliver a lecture titled “Light in the Public Realm.” Carpenter is the founder of the cross-disciplinary design studio James Carpenter Design Associates. ?During his lecture, he discussed a selection of projects, including those at the Time Warner Center, Fulton Center, and the Frost Amphitheater, and provided insight on his distinctive use of … Continued
The University of Missouri honored William F. Baker, SOM Structural Engineering Partner, with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree on Friday, December 15th, in recognition of his distinguished career and contributions to the field. The degree was conferred by University Chancellor Alexander Cartwright at the 2017 Honors College Commencement. A native Missourian, Baker graduated with a … Continued
On Tuesday, December 5th, the SOM Women’s Initiative hosted a speed mentoring event in our Chicago office. Thirty-four mentors from various disciplines offered candid career advice to 32 mentees, all members of SOM’s Chicago staff. Conversations centered on work-life balance, leadership, growth, and other related topics. In advance of the event, mentees received information on … Continued
On Wednesday, December 6th, SOM Design Partner Brian Lee presented as a Top 5 Innovator in Design at HIVE 50’s second annual conference. The two-day event, which took place in Los Angeles, centered on the theme of the future of housing. In order to stimulate dialogue for the event’s theme, Lee referenced SOM’s collaborative AMIE 1.0 project and … Continued
…Aspirational plays for iconic status can miss the mark. The standout buildings completed over the past 12 months were instead notable for focusing on concrete needs, not dazzling form. Long-term planning and a smart use of innovation served a purpose. In the Bronx, a new 911 emergency call center designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill … Continued
A group from SOM’s Los Angeles office recently toured the new Santa Monica, California headquarters of Awesomeness, a global multi-platform media company that develops original programming for mobile, streaming services, websites, and broadcast networks. SOM provided architecture and interior design services for the company’s 78,000-square-foot, two-level space. The headquarters, which occupies the entire east building of … Continued
This year, the Chicago Public Library, Chinatown Branch was awarded the Louis Sullivan Award by the Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Illinois). A special design award selected directly by the jury, rather than by nomination, the Sullivan Award is the highest state honor for design. The award recognizes transformational projects. Since … Continued
Architectural Record’s annual competition for best new products of the year attracted more than 250 entries. Our independent jury of designers selected 57 innovative winners, of which the Best in Category received the top numerical rankings. In addition, RECORD editors scrutinized the winners through the lens of their own reporting and highlighted other favorites. … … Continued
One reason mass timber construction remains absent from high-rise construction in the United States is because the system remains largely untested in performance and strength. An effort led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Benton Johnson, an associate director and structural engineer…has been steadily chipping away at the many unknowns of wood as structure through with its Timber … Continued
A new professional soccer team plans to begin playing on Chicago’s North Side within three years, at one of the sites proposed for Amazon’s second headquarters. … Specific details of the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed stadium are still being fine-tuned, but the venue is expected to have a retractable roof and about 20,000 seats…A retractable roof … Continued