Rapid urbanization in the Pearl River Delta, China’s most important ecosystem, has threatened the region with increased stormwater flooding, reduced water quality, and other environmental challenges. Seagull Island, located in the Pearl River off the coast of Guangzhou, is one of the few places in the Delta largely untouched by urban development. Still, the island’s … Continued
In 2018, the City of West Hollywood unveiled its SMART City Strategic Plan—a multi-phase roadmap to incorporate smart technologies, digital tools, and data analytics into a variety of city services. The goal is to use these technologies, combined with improvements to the built environment, to make city services more effective and efficient. The plan identifies … Continued
A phased approach for growth By the late 1990s, travel to and from Pearson International Airport had far exceeded its design capacity. Anticipating further growth toward 29 million annual passengers, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority engaged SOM, in conjunction with Adamson Associates and Moshe Safdie, to imagine the airport’s future: a design for a new … Continued
A long-held vision comes to life The Wild Mile is a 17-acre floating eco-park designed to restore natural habitats and reconnect the public to the North Branch Canal. Envisioned as a place for wildlife, education, and recreation, it brings to life a community-led vision of transforming a heavily industrialized stretch of the Chicago River into … Continued
Sunset La Cienega Residences, a design collaboration between SOM and Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA), is a transformative, mixed-use project at the heart of Los Angeles’ iconic Sunset Strip. The project leverages the site’s complexity—and the neighborhood’s world-renowned cultural legacy—to create a vibrant new hub of urban activity. The two-acre residential development is located on the … Continued
Planning a new campus community SOM led a team in developing the master plan for housing on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. Built around an existing residence hall, the project introduces apartment-style housing for more than 1,000 students, along with staff and faculty residences, dining commons, a convenience store, and other amenities. The … Continued
When MetroTech Center was built in the 1990s as part of an ambitious urban renewal scheme for downtown Brooklyn, a large financial services company established a major presence at the new technology park. More than two decades later, Brooklyn has become not only a magnet for tech and entrepreneurial companies, but also an increasingly in-demand … Continued
Bringing brands together The new headquarters for Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) consolidates the operations of various brands—Saks, Lord & Taylor, and Gilt, among others—in seven floors of Brookfield Place in Lower Manhattan. The new offices, comprising 350,000 square feet, benefit from panoramic views above the city and New York Harbor. Accentuating fashion The interior design … Continued
Bridging a neighborhood’s past and future 800 Fulton Market is a mixed-use office building that marks the gateway to one of Chicago’s most dynamic neighborhoods. With a series of setbacks and landscaped terraces, the 19-story design is carefully proportioned to relate to the rhythm and scale of the Fulton Market District’s historic low-rise streetscape, while … Continued
The Vertical Medina is a mixed-use residential, office, and retail development that flips the traditional Arab medina city form — with its interlocking alleyways and courtyards — on edge to create a rich vertical network of shops, offices, and residences. The structure, clad in locally sourced limestone, is composed of 55 luxury apartments ranging from … Continued