SOM (architecture firm)

SOM (architecture firm). Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global architecture, urban planning, and engineering firm renowned for its pioneering work in modernism and skyscraper design. Founded in Chicago in 1936, the firm has shaped skylines worldwide with iconic structures that integrate advanced structural engineering with elegant aesthetics. Its multidisciplinary approach, combining architecture, engineering, and interior design under one roof, has established it as a leader in large-scale, complex projects for corporate, institutional, and public clients.

History

The firm was established in 1936 by architects Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings, later joined by engineer John O. Merrill. Its early significant commissions included work for the 1939 New York World's Fair and master planning for the town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, part of the Manhattan Project. The post-World War II economic boom propelled SOM to prominence, with its Chicago office leading the development of the International Style in American corporate architecture. Key projects from this era, such as the Lever House in New York City and the Inland Steel Building in Chicago, cemented its reputation. The firm expanded globally, opening offices in New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., London, Shanghai, and Dubai, executing major projects across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Notable projects

SOM's portfolio features many of the world's most recognizable buildings and engineering feats. In Chicago, it designed the John Hancock Center and the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), which was the world's tallest building for nearly 25 years. Its New York work includes the modernist Lever House, the One World Trade Center tower at the World Trade Center site, and the restoration of Grand Central Terminal. Internationally, the firm was the architect and engineer of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the current world's tallest structure, and designed the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai. Other landmark projects include the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel in Colorado, the Broadgate development in London, and Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

Design philosophy and impact

SOM's design philosophy is rooted in the Bauhaus principles of integration between art, technology, and functionality. The firm is celebrated for advancing the tubular structural system, which enabled the construction of ever-taller, more efficient skyscrapers. This innovation was critical to the design of the Willis Tower and the Burj Khalifa. Its approach emphasizes sustainability and performance, with many projects, like the San Francisco Federal Building and the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, achieving high LEED certifications. SOM's master planning work, such as for Canary Wharf in London and Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates its impact on shaping entire urban districts with a focus on pedestrian experience and environmental resilience.

Awards and recognition

The firm has received extensive accolades, including three AIA Gold Medal awards from the American Institute of Architects, recognizing the collective work of its partners. Numerous individual SOM-designed buildings have won the prestigious AIA Twenty-five Year Award, such as the John Hancock Center and the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel. The firm's engineers have been honored with the Fritz Leonhardt Prize and awards from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. In 2020, SOM was named the #1 architecture firm on the Architectural Record Top 300 list, and its projects frequently win global honors like the CTBUH Best Tall Building Award and World Architecture Festival prizes.

Leadership and key figures

Throughout its history, SOM has been guided by influential designers and technical innovators. Early leadership by Gordon Bunshaft, a recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, defined its mid-century modernist aesthetic with buildings like the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University. Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan formed a legendary partnership, producing the John Hancock Center and pioneering the bundled tube design of the Willis Tower. Later leaders include David Childs, chief architect for One World Trade Center; Marilyn Jordan Taylor, the first woman to chair the firm; and Ross Wimer, a design partner on major international projects. This collaborative model of architect-engineer leadership remains a cornerstone of the firm's practice.

Category:Architectural firms based in Chicago Category:Architecture companies established in 1936 Category:American architectural firms