For 25 years, SOM has collaborated with multiple designers and client groups in the planning and building of Canary Wharf. Designed to accommodate a flourishing financial sector and breathe new life into London’s former Docklands, SOM’s master plan established a roadmap for one of the largest urban revitalization projects in the modern era. The plan … Continued
In the 1960s and 70s, SOM designed the master plan and many of the buildings for the University of Illinois campus on Chicago’s Near West Side. Architect Walter Netsch led the effort, which focused on shaping an urban campus that would benefit from direct connections to transit and surrounding neighborhoods. Netsch’s Behavioral Sciences Building, created … Continued
The Terrace Plaza was the first hotel designed by SOM and one of the first modern hotels in the United States. Its lobby, located on the eighth floor, was reached by express elevators from the street entrance. Two department stores originally occupied the first seven floors. The top floor, home to a small gourmet restaurant, … Continued
Radical simplicity Designed to serve as the world headquarters of the growing Pepsi-Cola corporation, the structure consists of a pristine glass-and-aluminum volume with massive, 9-by-15-foot window panes set against a dark granite service core that visually separates the building offices from its adjacent neighbors. The result is a technical tour de force and a powerful … Continued
COFCO Landmark is a new office complex for China’s largest food company. Located alongside the gate to Beijing’s historic Temple of Earth, the complex features two towers connected by a 13-story glass atrium that serves as the main entrance and focal point. Combining glass with stone walls that wrap around and frame the buildings, the … Continued
Nex Tower is a 27-story office building located in Manila’s resurgent business district of Makati. Designed with health, wellness, and connectivity top of mind, the tower sets a new precedent for responsible and sustainable development in the Philippines. Facing the main commercial thoroughfare of Ayala Avenue, the complex is distinguished by a striking crystalline geometry … Continued
Evoking the client’s vision to promote art, music, theater, and dance in Kuwait, the design for the Al Ahmadi Cultural Center celebrates the country’s rich cultural heritage with a bold response to the project’s program, climate, and site. Located south of Kuwait City in Mahboula, the Center consists of two 800-seat theaters, a 400-seat concert … Continued
Rising at the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, 400 Lake Shore will reshape the skyline with two towers reaching nearly 900 feet, articulated with terraces that cascade down the eastern facades. Tapering in both plan and section, the towers frame a view of the lake, while angling back towards the cityscape. The … Continued
Built in connection with the economic development of the Neighbor Islands, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is located on the North Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. The hotel is set along the brow of a hill overlooking the beach at the foot of the highest point in the Hawaiian Island — Mauna Kea (the White … Continued
For more than a century, The Arts Club of Chicago has been committed to the advancement of contemporary art and arts education. Recently, the institution sought to activate its space and give members and visitors a new place for gatherings and conversation. Lead design architect Vinci Hamp Architects, in collaboration with SOM, met this need … Continued