Inspired by the courtyard layout of Gordon Bunshaft’s Connecticut General Life Insurance Headquarters, architect Bruce Graham designed the Upjohn building with a series of seven interior gardens landscaped with trees, pools, stones, and sculptures. Graham was also influenced by the architecture of his native Colombia, where homes contained central, open-air courtyards that flooded interior spaces … 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
Founded in 1827, the Greenwich Academy is Connecticut’s oldest preparatory school for girls. Embracing the various ways students absorb information and the freedom of education fostered by the school, this new building is a study in flexibility. It appears to grow out of the landscape, with a green roof that extends from an existing lawn … Continued
The Egil and Pauline Braathen Center Neurological Institute and Cancer Institute (NICI) is the first project to stem from a long-range master plan for the Cleveland Clinic campus in Weston, Florida. The 145,000-square-foot center includes a neurological clinic and procedural suite, a rehabilitation gym, an infusion suite, a cancer clinic, and a radiation oncology area … Continued
Sky-high refinement Like a honed piece of exquisite glassware, Baccarat Hotel & Residences distinguishes itself within its surroundings through its formal restraint and focus on detail. Its exterior is a study in contrast. The tower’s 605-foot-tall east and west elevations—its main structural components—are sheathed in faceted, jet black aluminum panels, referencing the austerity and minimalism … Continued
SOM was selected by the New York World’s Fair Commission to provide master planning and design coordination, as well as exhibit design, for the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. The theme of the landmark event was “World of Tomorrow.” The fair presented perceived images of the future to approximately 60 million visitors. The … Continued
The Almaty International Medical Center puts forth a new model of care for Kazakhstan’s healthcare sector. This pioneering facility is designed to accommodate future change and expansion to rapidly adapt to the demands of this evolving market. With the opportunity to capture a demographic that often seeks medical treatment outside the country, the center aims … Continued
Hartford, Connecticut, is well known as the city of insurance companies. When one of the oldest of these, the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, needed more space for business expansion in the 1950s, it decided to give up its headquarters in the center of town and erect a new building about five miles northward near … Continued
Elizabeth Academic High School, located in the city center of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is surrounded by historic buildings, a residential neighborhood, and a park. At this complex site, SOM sought to design a school with its own sense of community that would respond to and enhance its urban environment. Traditional materials such as brick and … Continued
A landmark for Sydney’s business district The design for 100 Mount Street is inspired by Sydney’s rich architectural landscape and shaped by SOM’s legacy of innovation in architecture and structural engineering. The 35-story office tower offers panoramic views of Sydney Harbor, the Sydney Opera House, and Sydney Harbor Bridge, while creating welcoming new public spaces … Continued