A Call-to-Action from Our Black Colleagues

On June 3rd, 2020, our Black colleagues shared the following letter with the SOM community: Dear SOM, Your Black colleagues are saddened and conflicted as we continue to live in fear witnessing the senseless deaths of our people. We wish to emphasize that the reaction of the Black community is a direct, traumatic response to 400 … Continued

Death and Law: Reframing the Way We View Traditional Customs and Institutions Through Graphic Design

Join Graphic Design Manager Nathan Bluestone on Thursday, June 25th, as he participates in San Francisco Design Week. Taking a detailed look at two SOM projects—a sculptural memorial at Long Beach Civic Center and the new visual identity for UC Hastings Law—Bluestone will explore the ways in which graphic design can shift people’s perceptions of … Continued

Ingedia Sanchez Elected President of Arquitectos Chicago

Architectural Associate Ingedia Sanchez has been elected president of Arquitectos, a nonprofit organization focused on providing professional development and mentorship to Latinx architects. Sanchez is the first licensed woman architect to serve as president of the group. Founded in Chicago in 1985 by a small group of architects, Arquitectos has expanded in size and mission … Continued

SOM’s Los Angeles Office Participates in NOMA Project Pipeline Summer Camp

In July, several SOM staff members are participating in Project Pipeline, a summer camp hosted by the Southern California chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Approximately 150 students will take part in the virtual learning experience. On Saturday, July 18th, the SOM team gave a presentation about the firm and hosted a … Continued

The Post-Covid Workplace Is Here

Technically, it’s called The Porch. But considering that the five-story, 6,000-square-foot terrace to be incorporated into an 18-story office building at 330 North Green Street will be bigger than a regulation NBA basketball court, a better nickname might be the Grandstand or the Amphitheater. Maybe even the Park. The architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill … Continued

100 Mount Street and Dream Catcher Win SEAOI Best Project Awards

Two SOM projects have been named as Best Project Award winners by the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI). The awards were announced at the SEAOI Annual Awards Banquet, which was held virtually on July 10th, 2020. 100 Mount Street in North Sydney, Australia was named Best Project exceeding $100 Million. Evocative of SOM’s design for … Continued

Dan Ringelstein to Speak at Big 5 Digital Festival Africa

On Wednesday, July 22nd, SOM Director of Urban Design and Planning Dan Ringelstein will speak at the Big 5 Digital Festival Africa virtual conference. The event is an online gathering of the infrastructure and construction community in Africa. The three-day virtual festival will focus on the future of design, construction, and infrastructure in Africa.  Ringelstein will present … Continued

Streets of the Future: An Exploration of Pre- and Post-Pandemic Urban Design

Breakthrough technologies are shifting our travel behaviors, calling for new urban design concepts to accommodate these changes. On Thursday, July 23rd, Associate Director Chris Hall will join City Tech Collaborative and mobility and technology experts for a panel discussion and design exploration focused on Chicago street typologies. Using Chicago as a case study, City Tech … Continued

SOM and Janet Echelman Win Award for Collaborative Artwork in West Hollywood

Janet Echelman’s sculpture “Dream Catcher” has been honored in the 2018 CODAawards, a program that recognizes outstanding collaborations between artists and architects. SOM worked with Echelman to create the fiber net sculpture, which is suspended above a public plaza at The Jeremy Hotel in West Hollywood, California. “Dream Catcher” is the centerpiece of several commissioned artworks at … Continued

Meet Nebula: The New Urban Lighting Collection by Two Global Design Brands

SOM and high-end Italian lighting manufacturer Neri joined forces in 2019 with the ambition to create a lighting system that blends into any cityscape while enhancing the public realm with a contemporary and recognizable design. Manufactured in Italy, the series will go into production in July 2020. “Our team of architects, lighting designers, and fabricators … Continued