Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

Is New York City on the cusp of a new era of timber architecture? To imagine how this sustainable material could revolutionize construction in the city, New York Magazine architecture critic Justin Davidson asked SOM to design a building that fully embraces timber’s strength, malleability, and expressive personality. Our conceptual design for a major league soccer stadium weaves timber beams into a self-supporting structure that is as eye-catching as it is efficient. Read the story in Curbed. MORE → bit.ly/3PvDpdX Images: © SOM | ATCHAIN

Did you catch our roundup of Projects to Watch in 2025? Ranging in scale from a modernist workplace in Milan to the urban design and planning for a new city district in Oman’s capital, this selection of work in progress speaks as much to SOM’s integrated design approach as it does to the vision and ambition of our clients. Today, we hone in on one of these featured 2025 projects, the newly expanded Engineering Center at the University of California, Berkeley, opening in spring. Both an adaptive reuse project and a demonstration of cutting-edge engineering, it repurposes the original Bechtel Engineering building as the foundation for the new Center and adds a two-story glass-and-steel pavilion. Full of natural light with a three-level open forum at the center, the structure will flexibly accommodate classrooms, student services, and special events. More on the Berkeley Project → bit.ly/4gHP19K All Projects to Watch → bit.ly/projectstowatch25 Images: BEN-CG and Michael Leung, AIA, LEED © SOM

Celebrating 15 years since the opening of the world’s tallest building, SOM Consulting Partner and Lead Structural Engineer Bill Baker reflects on the Burj Khalifa's inception and the groundbreaking innovations that defined it. In an interview with Khaleej Times, Baker delves into the invention of the buttressed core—sustainability that was ahead of its time—and the phenomenon known as the “Burj Effect.” “We were pushing the boundaries of structural engineering,” said Baker. “The goal was never just to create the tallest building in the world but to design something efficient, sustainable, and deeply responsive to its environment.” Through rigorous wind tunnel testing, the original 518-meter concept transformed into the record-shattering 828-meter tower, which you can read about in the article below. MORE → bit.ly/3DHSbf7 📷: © Nick Merrick | Hedrich Blessing Photographers and © RWDI

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