Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

In a neighborhood known for its historic bungalows and lush gardens, Carmichael Residences address an increasing demand for high-rise living in Tardeo, Mumbai. Aishwarya Khurana covered the project for Architectural Digest India, highlighting its vertical landscape, flexibility, and inspiration from Vastu principles of design—a tranquil refuge that elegantly befits its surroundings with a western red cedar facade and cascading greenery. “Our approach coalesces comfort and sustainability simultaneously,” SOM Principal Peter Lefkovits told Architectural Digest India. “We replicated the verdure of Carmichael Road into the building itself—creating an experience that is both open and intimate.” Read the story below. MORE → bit.ly/3ZPn88o Photos: Ar. ekansh goel © Studio Recall

A university building nears completion in Berkeley, a bold events venue will be inaugurated in Shanghai, and a beloved New York City landmark will reopen following a meticulous renovation. These are just a few highlights that we are excited to celebrate in 2025—all part of our annual Projects to Watch list below. MORE → bit.ly/3BKIhZt

Having fun with facades, Architectural Digest India spotlights “19 spectacular buildings that'll make your head spin,” including two projects designed by SOM. The Cook County Administration Building (formerly known as the Brunswick Building) was the first to use a shear wall frame interaction system invented by former SOM engineer Fazlur Khan. It was the tallest office building in Chicago when constructed in 1965 and made the AD roundup as its “modernist aesthetic creates the illusion that it extends infinitely upwards into the sky.” In San Francisco, 555 California Street—formerly the Bank of America Center—also made the list. From its crystalline bay window façade to its irregular setbacks, the project rises as a sculptural form in the city’s financial district. The skyscraper is characterized by vertical repetition: faceted bronze-tinted bay windows undulate across a facade clad in polished carnelian granite. Its continuous, shimmering surface mediates the scale of the building through its rhythm, while upper-floor setbacks underscore the tower’s sculptural quality, evoking the jagged rock formations of the Sierra Nevada. See the full AD India list below. MORE → bit.ly/3CBcVEE 📷 : 1-4) Cook County Administration Building | © Paul Dunham, Hube Henry/Hedrich Blessing, Ezra Stoller/Esto 5-8) 555 California Street | © Roger Sturtevant, Ezra Stoller/Esto

As we near the year's end, enjoy a unique view of some of our completed projects from 2024. Wishing you all Happy Holidays from our (well-designed) homes to yours! ❄️

Every project presents an opportunity to develop greener ways of building, and that mindset guides our approach to design and engineering. Efficiency lies at the core of our structural engineering practice, from solving complex site challenges to minimizing the carbon impact of construction. And it’s evident in projects like Manhattan West, a 7-million-square-foot, mixed-use development built above active railroad tracks where minimal buildable land existed. Here, we take a look behind the scenes at the project, which relies on a central core that rises from bedrock, avoiding trains leading to Penn Station.   Over the next few months, we’re excited to share our expertise in the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC) upcoming Sustainability Design Guide. We will be working with Skanska, Nucor Corporation, and Northeastern University’s Jerome Hajjar to help architects and engineers establish and apply best practices for sustainable design and construction with steel. You can be on the lookout for the guide early next year. 📷 : Fadi Asmar

This week, local and state representatives celebrated the groundbreaking of The Point Utah, an SOM-master planned project encompassing 600 acres in Utah's emerging Silicon Slopes tech community. Designed for innovation, The Point will house 15,000 residents and serve as a model for sustainable urban design. “The start of phase-one infrastructure represents a significant milestone for the project and will unlock the amazing development potential of the site,” said SOM Cities & Climate Lead Peter J. Kindel AIA ASLA RIBA. “We are especially proud that the river-to-range park, a key component of the original framework plan vision, will provide a near-term public benefit to Utah citizens. We congratulate the State of Utah and all project team members on this important achievement." An economic analysis by The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute estimates The Point’s Framework Plan will create 46,500 jobs, $4.4 billion in annual earnings, and $7 billion in annual GDP. Design highlights include an expansive green space seamlessly connecting the natural landscape to the urban fabric and a mobility network that encourages walkability and reduces car dependency. MORE → bit.ly/4gooNbX Images: Owned by Lake City Photos (1, 2) © SOM (3,4)

What’s on architects’ wishlists this holiday season? “As we enter the New Year, I am hopeful for a deeper and more deliberate shift toward creating a built environment that enhances quality of life and adds lasting value, while also safeguarding natural ecosystems,” Sustainability Director Mina Hasman shared as part of The Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) annual feature. Realizing her wishlist is now within reach thanks to resources like the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard and initiatives like SOM’s Whole Life Carbon Accounting service, which “work to eliminate greenwashing and ensure accountability,” said Hasman. “Equipping architects, designers, and construction professionals with the knowledge and tools to address sustainability holistically will enable us to evolve and meet the challenges of climate change.” Read her interview via RIBA below. MORE → bit.ly/3ZHMAfR Image: Urban Sequoia, © SOM | Miysis

Spotlighting projects that reflect a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and preserving cultural heritage, ArchDaily released “The 25 Most Anticipated Projects of 2025” list, featuring our redevelopment of the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Building on the master plan we developed for the neighborhood in 2016, the renovation—led by a public-private partnership among Amtrak, Plenary Americas, Vantage Group, and Johnson Controls, with Gilbane Building Company and SOM—reimagines the historic station as the centerpiece to a vibrant, transit-centric urban district. When complete, the project will modernize and expand the rail hub’s retail, extend and pedestrianize its outdoor spaces, activate its concourses, and consolidate Amtrak’s engineering headquarters into the floors above. It’s a thoughtful design that seamlessly integrates modern infrastructure with the station’s historic architecture. See ArchDaily’s full list below. MORE → bit.ly/4iV2g8D Images: © SOM | ATCHAIN

From commercial lobbies and cultural centers to outdoor spaces and international airports, six of our projects were honored in this year’s Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards. Named a winner in the transportation category, Kempegowda International Airport radically reimagines the travel experience with its “terminal in a garden design,” while our bus shelter program, recognized in the outdoor space category, brings much-needed shade and civic infrastructure to neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. Our graphics and branding work at the John. A Volpe National Transportation Systems Center conveys a sense of motion to reflect the institution’s identity as a vertical campus for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s research and innovation center. We returned to two of our signature projects, 9 West 57th Street and Carmel Valley Manor, to provide updates for the 21st century workplace and senior living community—with both earning recognition. Finally, the Mulva Cultural Center received an honorable mention for its design as a luminous venue for cultural engagement. MORE → bit.ly/3Bt6xiB 📷 : 1. Kempegowda International Airport | ekansh goel © Studio Recall 2. John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center | Dave Burk © SOM 3. 9 West 57th Street | Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM  4. Los Angeles Bus Shelter Program | James Michael Juarez © SOM 5. Carmel Valley Manor | Dave Burk © SOM 6. Mulva Cultural Center | Dave Burk © SOM

“Disney has arrived in Hudson Square in a shocking burst of good taste," Justin Davidson reported for Curbed, sharing a glimpse into our design for the new Robert A. Iger Building — The Walt Disney Company's New York City headquarters. Spanning a full city block at 7 Hudson Square, the new Disney NYC headquarters embraces its historic urban setting with a sinuous profile of cerulean green terracotta panels while inside bringing news, editorial, live productions, streaming, advertising, and more together under one roof for the first time. The result: “a handsome, urban, beautifully engineered cultural-production machine, making a statement by being better rather than different,” wrote Davidson. Read the story below. MORE → bit.ly/4g5Erc8 📷: Dave Burk | SOM © 2024 Disney