Designed to accommodate the city’s expanding financial activities, the Canary Wharf development represents one of largest urban revitalization projects in the modern era. SOM developed a comprehensive master plan for the waterfront site and designed several key buildings, including 5 Canada Square. The striking, 15-story building is located on the north side of Canada Square, … Continued
Situated on a prominent site in Chengdu, the Sichuan Airlines Center tower has become a glimmering symbol of the city’s urban transformation. With its distinctive, pleated form, the 200-meter-tall tower is a landmark on the skyline of the capital of China’s Sichuan province. The design engages thoughtfully with the public realm, inviting the life of … Continued
In the 1960s, SOM helped conceive a master plan for the urban redevelopment and revitalization of Columbus, Indiana. The Republic Newspaper Office and Printing Plant was the first project realized from that plan. The building, designed by Myron Goldsmith, consists of an aluminum frame enclosed by glass walls. To maximize efficiency, the offices and plant … Continued
Reshaping Lower Manhattan When Chase National Bank and the Bank of Manhattan merged in 1955, the newly-formed Chase Manhattan Bank had a workforce of 8,700 people spread across different offices throughout New York City. The company’s Executive Vice President for Planning and Development, David Rockefeller, and SOM put forth a forward-looking vision for its future … Continued
Set among lush rolling hills in the fast-growing city of Iskandar, Malaysia, the new Raffles American School campus will accommodate 2,000 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. The 19-hectare school is envisioned as a holistic learning environment that is seamlessly interwoven into its beautiful setting. Given the slope of the site, SOM’s scheme proposes three main … Continued
The 420-meter-high Jin Mao Tower was China’s tallest building at the time of its completion and today remains its most iconic. Recalling historic pagoda forms, with setbacks that create a rhythmic pattern, the 88-story tower has become a model for skyscraper design throughout the country. A 555-room Grand Hyatt Hotel, offering impressive views of the … Continued
An urban transformation enhances a historic district SOM’s masterplan for 100 West Walnut, a large redevelopment in the heart of Old Town Pasadena, realizes the potential of a large and underutilized site within this vibrant historic district. The 1970s office campus that occupied the site had long been seen as problematic, with its over-scaled building … Continued
A consistent design for a fluctuating office Every 10 years for the census taking, the U.S. Census Bureau’s staff headcount expands and then contracts by one third. SOM’s award-winning design for the federal agency’s headquarters accommodates this fluctuation in a large office building that nevertheless maintains an open, elegant feel. The complex consists of two … Continued
Warren Petroleum is an early example of SOM’s integration of environmental systems into high-rise architecture. Designed by architect Bruce Graham, the building’s skin is wrapped in balconies that contain an exterior sheet of gray glass, which absorbs heat and shades the interiors from Tulsa’s hot sun. The design was informed by Le Corbusier’s concept of … Continued
China’s premier high-speed rail line is capable of traveling upward of 300 kilometers per hour across the northeastern part of the country. The train’s terminal station will be located in the new mixed-use Tanggu District of Tianjin City, where SOM has designed an intermodal hub to serve more than 6,000 passengers during peak hours. Sited … Continued