Shaping workplace culture through design For decades, SOM has designed cutting-edge workplaces with the conviction that architecture has the power to shape an organization’s culture. For our own office in New York City, we took the opportunity to demonstrate what a forward-looking workplace can be. Spanning two interconnected floors at the SOM-designed 7 World Trade … Continued
Enhancing a transit-oriented community Centro Westlake envisions the full potential of a remarkable urban site—above a Metro station, and opposite MacArthur Park—to provide new housing, workspace, and community amenities. The mixed-use development introduces 668 new residential units (234 of which are affordable), 100,000 square feet of office space, a 300-key hotel, and a dynamic mix … Continued
Harmonizing with the neighbors The curved facade of the Davies Symphony Hall faces City Hall on a diagonal axis, toward the heart of the Civic Center. The design is at once contemporary and classic, relating the Hall to its neighboring buildings in terms of scale by matching cornices, roof forms, colors, and textures. The Hall’s … Continued
Expanding a community resource For decades, the Lower Eastside Girls Club (LESGC) has been dedicated to empowering young women to become the next generation of community leaders. The organization engages with thousands of young women and gender-expansive youth of color throughout New York City to shape a healthy and prosperous future through free, year-round mentorship … Continued
Made for the city Located on a triangular 2.5-acre site just beyond Civic Center, 49 South Van Ness is one half of a mixed-use development that also includes a mixed-income residential tower—1550 Mission—as well as the adaptive reuse of a former bottling plant. The design process focused on meeting the needs of multiple users across … Continued
Creating a neighborhood anchor Located on a triangular 2.5-acre site just beyond Civic Center, 1500 Mission Street is one half of a mixed-use development which also includes a municipal office building—49 South Van Ness—as well as the adaptive reuse of a former bottling factory. This 550-unit residential tower’s urban presence is informed by a design … Continued
Located between the historic West Lake Old Town and the center of Qianjiang New Town, the Hangzhou Cultural Park signals a transition point from the city’s past to its future. The project is a convergence of a 20-hectare public park and an 80,000-square-meter cultural arts center that together capture the spirit of Hangzhou. The park’s … Continued
Civic presence at a human scale The new courthouse, located along the southern bank of the Tarpon River, establishes a civic presence that is at once grand and approachable. It rises in a symmetrical cubic form that evokes monumental classical architecture, and is fronted by a single-story shaded colonnade that creates a welcoming arrival experience. … Continued
A multifunctional campus hub Located along the eastern edge and within the center of the Kuwait University campus, the Student Activities and Athletic Facilities (SAAF) encompass a broad range of functions to serve the university’s sports and recreational programs. The facilities include an indoor tennis center stadium, an outdoor stadium, additional outdoor sports facilities, a … Continued
A public-spirited place Located adjacent to Old Taipei City’s historic entrance, the North Gate, the Taipei Twin Towers are envisioned as a new gateway to Taipei. It is designed as a public-spirited destination that is inspired and enriched by the local culture. The development features an elevated promenade, multiple garden terraces, shopping arcades, a hotel, … Continued