Establishing a new city center Historically, Hangzhou’s municipal government and cultural core was located northeast of the famous West Lake, in an area that has been continuously inhabited for over two thousand years. In the early aughts, following decades of significant growth south of the Qiantang River, the city developed a master plan for a … Continued
A new flagship hotel for The Park Hotel Group, this 531,550-square-foot, 270-room hotel infuses a modern, sustainable design with the local craft traditions, and is influenced by the region’s reputation as a center for the design and production of gemstones and textiles. The project is distinctive for its profound implementation of sustainable design strategies, with … Continued
A “city within a city” As Thailand’s largest private-sector development, One Bangkok reimagines a prominent site at the convergence of three major thoroughfares into a 41-acre district. Situated just a few steps from Lumphini Park, the city’s own “Central Park,” the project introduces hotels, residences, retail, offices, and entertainment across eight skyscrapers and a series … Continued
The Taylor Street Apartments and Little Italy Branch Library realizes an innovative approach to mixed-use development through the co-location of affordable housing and a public library branch. Accomplished through a public-private partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), the Chicago Public Library, and Related Midwest, the project includes 73 apartments and a 14,000-square-foot library. SOM … Continued
Artful design and planning Located on the second level wall is a mixed-media mural by artist CJ Hungerman. The eight-foot-high by sixty-foot-long artwork, titled “Universal Transverse Immigration Proclamation,” was commissioned through Chicago’s Public Art Program. The artist engaged the community in workshops to understand the area’s history and to gather generations of personal experiences before … Continued
Awesomeness is a global media company with its headquarters at Pen Factory, a former manufacturing facility in Santa Monica, California. SOM transformed the building into a multi-tenant creative office, and also designed the interiors. Awesomeness occupies the entire east building of the Pen Factory site, comprising 78,000 square feet on two levels, and accommodating more … Continued
Foshan, the third largest city in Guangdong Province, is renowned as one of China’s leading centers of art and scholarship. It also is home to Foshan Zumiao, the 900-year-old Song Dynasty Ancestral Temple, which sits at the heart of Donghuali Old Town. Like other historic areas in the country, this district has been threatened by … Continued
An outdoor transformation The 17-acre Millennium Park master plan guided the transformation of a once-blighted site in the heart of downtown Chicago into an expansive green roof for the entire city to enjoy. The park opened to the public in 2004, marking the completion of Daniel Burnham’s 100-year vision for the site. SOM designed the … Continued
A model for resilient, sustainable urbanism For nearly 200 years, the wharves in Sydney Harbor served as the gateway to Australia. As Sydney grows as a global city with ambitious plans to combat climate change, the Barangaroo district—a formerly industrial waterfront zone—is in the midst of a dramatic transformation. Following an international search in 2012, … Continued
Seizing an opportunity Philadelphia’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is the third-busiest Amtrak station in the country, houses direct connections to SEPTA and NJ Transit, and is a nexus for dozens of local and regional bus, subway, and trolley routes serving tens of thousands of people each day. Perched on the western bank … Continued