One cannot visualize Chicago’s skyline without the gargantuan contributions of Bruce Graham (1925–2010), nor can one imagine the architect’s career without the power brokers of the American Midwest who counted on him to articulate their ambitions in structural form. But when working on a much smaller scale than a John Hancock or Sears Tower, Graham … Continued
Even in construction, the new County Office Building (COB3) in downtown Redwood City is turning heads. Planks and beams of mass timber, rather than steel or concrete, form the five-story building’s structure, visible to all who pass by the building site. Mass timber has become an emblem for sustainable architecture for its low carbon footprint, and new legislation … Continued
In 2003, San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum (AAM) moved into its new home, a more than century-old Beaux-Arts style building designed to be a public library. Since its opening in 1966, the museum had occupied a wing of the de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park, but a city hall plan to revitalize Civic … Continued
Leggere in italiano How can we design the conditions for humans to thrive in outer space? This question is at the core of SOM’s specially commissioned installation for “Unknown Unknowns,” the 23rd Triennale Milano International Exhibition. While sound and video are the most striking elements of the installation, “Decalogue for Space Architecture” began as a … Continued
For this edition of Spotlight, a series on people making a difference at SOM, Julie shares her thoughts on the importance of listening, the flexible future of the office, and the many possibilities that a design career can offer. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an electrician. My dad, his brother, his … Continued
A research team at the University of Colorado Boulder believes that a new generation of biological materials could turn the construction industry into a force to heal the planet. The products they are developing — including algae-based concrete — are the types of solutions that architects at SOM are seeking in order to create zero-carbon and carbon-negative buildings. With … Continued
“Women Take Charge at SOM”: This May 2020 article in Architectural Record, a profile on the three women partners who lead SOM’s Executive Committee, describes a milestone in the journey toward gender equity in our firm and in our profession. Women’s History Month is an occasion to celebrate influential women in SOM’s long history—including Natalie … Continued
Dave Burk was quite familiar with SOM’s work before joining the firm in 2019 as our photographer. An architecture fan and Chicago native, Burk grew up with SOM towers in the backdrop to his daily life as a child before eventually taking an apprenticeship with the heralded photography firm Hedrich Blessing out of college. When … Continued
I’m a first-generation immigrant from a tiny island called the Commonwealth of Dominica, in the Caribbean. My parents and most of my family are still there. I came to the U.S. to attend university and begin my career. I credit my parents with exposing me to architecture at a young age. When I was a … Continued
China Poly Group asked us to design a flagship development for Beijing’s Dawangjing district, a new hub for global business in China’s capital city. The main tower should not only become a landmark in this promising business district, it must also be tailored to the geography and climate of Beijing—a region prone to earthquakes, pollution, … Continued