The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced this week that One World Trade Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The 104-story tower designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill now holds the title of the tallest LEED-certified building in New York City, and in the … Continued
Today’s modern skyscrapers owe an immense debt to the John Hancock Center. Chicago’s third-tallest building ushered in the modern age of supertalls with its iconic design and the revolutionary structural engineering used to build it. When it was topped out on May 6, 1968, it was the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest … Continued
When Hurricane Sandy struck in New York City nearly four years ago, among the many things it damaged was One World Trade Center’s hopes of becoming one of the world’s largest buildings to receive LEED gold certification. But now, the tower has officially been given that designation, making it the tallest LEED building in the … Continued
One of the largest redevelopments in Tokyo’s history is underway. The project, known as OH-1 (it is located in Tokyo’s Ohtemachi business district), will consist of two high-rise buildings with 360,000 sm (3.88 million sf) of total floor space, and a landscaped public open space. The redevelopment, which covers 20,900 sm, will be adjacent to … Continued
Willis Tower—OK, many of you still call it Sears Tower—is a beacon of civic pride for Chicagoans everywhere. … Structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan jump-started a new era in skyscraper construction with the various tube designs that, to this day, remain the foundation of modern supertall structural engineering. Khan, fresh off the triumph of his … Continued
On Thursday, September 22nd, the SOM-designed 111 Main Street will officially open, becoming the newest addition to the Salt Lake City skyline. Located in the downtown City Center neighborhood, the 25-story office tower achieves an innovative and integrated solution to the complexities of its site. The opening of 111 Main coincides with the 2016 AIA … Continued
A celebration was held Friday in Fort Lauderdale as the exterior structure for the new Brightline train station was completed. “This is a home run. It is a game changer. We will talk about this for years to come,” Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler said. “This is a really important milestone for us,” Brightline president … Continued
On September 22nd, 2016, Ellen Lou, Director of Urban Design and Planning at SOM’s San Francisco office, will participate in the lecture series “Women Speak: Four Architects on Design and Urbanism.” Organized by the advocacy group Equity by Design, and presented in partnership with The Berkeley City Club Conservancy, the series features San Francisco-based design leaders … Continued
Construction is now underway on OH-1, one of the largest redevelopment projects ever undertaken in Japan’s capital. Designed by the architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), the project comprises two high-rise buildings with a total floor area of 360,000 square meters, and a landscaped public open space. Prominently located in Tokyo’s Ohtemachi district … Continued
On September 30th, SOM Associate Neil Katz will present at DIVA Day, an annual symposium on the use of environmental analysis tools in design practice, research, and architectural education. The term DIVA, which stands for “Design, Iterate, Validate, Adapt,” describes an integrated process of realizing complex designs with specialized technology. This year’s symposium is hosted … Continued