The Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s conversion into several hundred condos and fewer hotel rooms will officially move forward now that the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission has given the project its stamp of approval. On Tuesday evening, in a meeting that stretched well beyond the Commission’s normal schedule, the LPC unanimously approved the conversion, which will shutter … Continued
It’s been nearly a month since the Waldorf Astoria hotel shuttered for a three-year renovation, and we’re now getting some details about what that restoration might entail. The Wall Street Journal recently spoke with architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the firm that is leading the restoration and conversion of the hotel, and SOM has … Continued
On Tuesday, November 24th, Director Peter Jackson will participate in London Build Online—a two-week long event series hosted by the organizers of the UK’s leading construction show, London Build Expo. In a panel session titled “Key KPIs to Monitor in 2021 and Best Practices for Forecasting Accuracy,” the panelists will explore top KPIs to help … Continued
Since joining SOM’s New York office just over two years ago, Adede Amenyah has worked on the design and renovation of two of the city’s most iconic and storied buildings?—?the historic Farley Post Office (soon to open as Moynihan Train Hall) and the reimagined Waldorf Astoria. That’s just the beginning of her ongoing architectural education. In the next profile … Continued
On Monday, November 23rd, Mina Hasman, Associate Director and sustainability lead in SOM’s London office, will participate in The Big 5 Digital Festival – Redefining Construction, a four-day online event series bringing together the construction community from across the globe. In the panel discussion “Designing for Health – How Buildings Can Promote Wellbeing,” Hasman will … Continued
Associate Director Arathi Gowda has been appointed to AIA Chicago’s 2021 Board of Directors, a representative leadership body elected by the local membership each year. Members of AIA Chicago’s Board of Directors include leaders from local firms, non-profits, and organizations in the design community. Gowda is a team leader for SOM’s High Performance Design Group, … Continued
Tongzhou Cultural Park Master Plan has been honored with two AIA Hong Kong Merit Awards for Urban Design and Sustainability. Designed to celebrate the industrial past of this site at the edge of Beijing, the plan creates a rich pedestrian network with a series of social hubs and outdoor gathering spaces. The master plan will … Continued
Laura Ettelman is currently one of three women managing partners, a first in the history of venerable architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Her early interest in the art of theatrical set building and stage lighting morphed into architecture as a career, due in part to her engineer father’s taking the family on tours … Continued
This Veterans Day, SOM and the Army Historical Foundation are celebrating the completion and opening of the National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA), a cultural institution of national significance that is the first to tell the story of the oldest branch of the United States military. The building, located just 20 miles outside … Continued
South by Southwest’s PanelPicker vote is underway, allowing the public to help choose the programming for the 2021 SXSW Online Conference. SOM’s proposal—”10 Ideas for Pandemic Design”—is among the candidates under the theme “A New Urgency,” which focuses on issues like poverty, climate change, and racial justice in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. SOM’s 10 … Continued