Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

Through Open House New York (OHNY) and Open House Chicago (OHC). visitors had a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes with guided tours of our studios—as well as key projects, ranging from a newly restored midcentury landmark to a community-stewarded eco-park. In New York, OHNY groups toured our 21st-century renovation of Lever House, a midcentury landmark that revolutionized commercial office design when it was first completed in 1952. In Chicago, visitors explored two sides of design innovation: 800 Fulton, a mixed-use building defined by its expressive structure and landscaped terraces, and the Wild Mile, a community-led floating eco-park that transforms the Chicago River into both a thriving habitat for biodiversity and a new public amenity. During studio tours of our studios, we shared a peek into our design process and commitment to healthy, low-carbon workplace design. Thanks to all who joined! 📷: Jade Leslie, Marco Marilli, and Megan Zoe Billman

Rocky Mountain Power’s new 10-story, 300,000-square-foot, all-electric headquarters is officially underway in The Power District in Salt Lake City. Designed by SOM, the building honors the historic Gadsby Power Plant while creating a modern, flexible, and human-centered workplace. With outdoor terraces, high-performance workspaces, and a distinctive skyline presence, it will serve as both a landmark and a catalyst for the mixed-use district. Read on for more on the project. MORE → bit.ly/4oKGCpz Renders: © Atchain and SOM 📷: Larry H. Miller Real Estate

On Thursday, November 6, the SOM Foundation, in partnership with ETSAM (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid), is organizing the third William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum. The full-day event will include presentations by academics and industry leaders whose body of work, creativity, and expertise inspire the future of materiality, assembly, and technology in the built world. Speakers of the forum include Masoud Akbarzadeh (University of Pennsylvania & Massive Form), Wesam Al Asali (IE School of Architecture and Design), Martin Bechthold (Harvard University), Alessandro Beghini, PhD, SE (SOM), Catherine De Wolf (ETH Zürich), Mae-ling Lokko (Yale University & Willow Technologies Ltd.), Faidra Oikonomopoulou and Telesilla Bristogianni (TU Delft), Stefana Parascho (EPFL), Christopher Robeller (Technische Hochschule Augsburg & Digital Timber Construction), and Maria Yablonina (University of Toronto). Architect Rosa Cervera, founder of Cervera Arquitectos and former Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Alcalá, will be honored during the third William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum for her contributions to the field of architecture through scientific inquiry and innovation. She will be presented with the recognition by Mark Sarkisian, SOM Structural and Seismic Engineering Partner. The William F. Baker International Research and Design Forum is made possible with the generous support of the Sarkisian Foundation for the Arts and Engineering. The forum is open to the public and welcomes design professionals, educators, and students. You can find more information about the speakers and the schedule on our website. https://lnkd.in/gGYMkMKE

Next week, Urban Land Institute will host its Fall Meeting at Moscone Center, a project we are proud to have transformed in San Francisco as its premier convention venue. Lisa Follman, Associate Principal in SOM’s San Francisco studio, will join the panel discussion, “Converting Vacant Commercial Space: Strategies for Success,” exploring adaptive reuse and office-to-residential conversions in evolving urban landscapes. In addition, you can see our projects on several ULI-guided tours, including the redevelopment and master planning of both Treasure Island and the Transbay Terminal, an interior workplace renovation in Jackson Square, the class-A life science campus on the peninsula known as Genesis Marina, and the luxury residential tower in SOMA at 1550 Mission Street. Curious to see all our work across the Bay Area on your own? We’ve launched a new interactive map showing SOM-designed buildings so you can go at your own pace. See it all below. MORE → bit.ly/49ogcW5 📷: Treasure Island, Jackson Square Workplace Renovation, Genesis Marina | Dave Burk © SOM 📷: 1550 Mission Street | © Jason O'Rear

We are honored to be a finalist for two prestigious awards in the Middle East. As part of the Big 5 Global Impact Awards, we have been shortlisted for the Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and through Construction Week Middle East, we are in the running for Architecture Firm of the Year. The Big 5 Global Impact Awards, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, celebrate excellence in sustainability, digitalization, and innovation. This shortlisting follows our award win in 2022, a pivotal milestone for our Dubai office that celebrated our growing multicultural team. More on Big 5 Global → bit.ly/4oa0Vgj The Construction Week Awards are among the most prestigious accolades in the region, honoring visionaries in construction and celebrating innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence across the Middle East’s transformative built environment. More from Construction Week → bit.ly/4hooGOV We are incredibly proud of these recognitions and look forward to contributing to the region's growth and innovation. 📷: © Catalin Marin

Our Los Angeles Bus Shelter Program continues to earn recognition across the design industry. Last night, the program received a 2025 AIA Los Angeles Design Award, honoring the project's innovative, climate-responsive approach to public infrastructure and its role in advancing equity and resilience across Los Angeles. The Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program, or STAP, will bring 3,000 new and upgraded shelters and 450 shade structures to neighborhoods across the city over the next decade. It was also featured in Monocle magazine’s “Top 20 Thrilling Design Discoveries to Experience Now,” which spotlights groundbreaking projects around the world that offer fresh perspectives on how design shapes everyday life. MORE → bit.ly/4ocUkBS 📷: James Michael Juarez © SOM 

Yesterday, JPMorganChase celebrated the opening of 270 Park Avenue, its new global headquarters and a major addition to the New York City skyline. Within the tower by Foster + Partners, SOM designed the eight expansive trading floors—500,000 square feet of high-performance workspace that will accommodate approximately 4000 traders, representing the largest trading environment in New York City. Strategically located at the base of the building for better team integration, these floors are purpose-built for the demands of modern trading. The design is driven by both scale and performance, with functional two-floor suites that support a range of working styles. At the heart of each suite is a double-height atrium, work cafe, and central conferencing space, while smaller meeting areas and pantries line the perimeter. Generous ceiling heights, full-block floorplates, and strategic layouts maximize access to daylight and views, while circadian lighting and biophilia support occupant health and well-being. “Our goal was to create a trading environment that supports both the focus and collaboration inherent in the work,” said Ece Calguner Erzan, Interior Design Principal. “By creating suites with shared amenities, and integrating their layout within the structural logic of the tower, we were able to design spaces that are both highly functional and deeply connected to the building’s overall identity.” MORE → bit.ly/3JlVzzb Photo: © Aaron Fedor, Renderings: JPMorganChase, courtesy of HayesDavidson

At 2500 Cedar Springs Road in Uptown Dallas, SOM’s design for a new 34-story tower will anchor one of the city’s most ambitious mixed-use developments. The building will be home to Dallas Proper Hotel and Residences, establishing a new destination for design, hospitality, and urban living in the heart of the city. Our architectural design introduces a refined, contemporary silhouette to the Dallas skyline, characterized by cascading terraces, shaded outdoor amenities, and floor-to-ceiling glass that captures light and panoramic views across the city. The project creates a vertically integrated community that unites hospitality, residential, and wellness spaces within a cohesive architectural framework. Set to open in 2029, Dallas Proper Hotel and Residences, with interiors by Kelly Wearstler, exemplifies SOM’s multidisciplinary approach to urban design—one that balances performance, livability, and craft to shape meaningful experiences in the heart of the city. MORE → bit.ly/47lyrsR Image: © Neoscape and SOM

We just wrapped National Hispanic Heritage Month—a time to honor the cultures, stories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities around the world. This year, SOM’s employee resource group Arquitectos led the celebration under the theme “Matices” (meaning nuances or shades). Across Austin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, we hosted a month of conversations, creative workshops, and community events that brought this theme to life. In New York, Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA President-Elect, joined us for a global presentation with Latinos In Design on representation and accessibility in the profession. Our Leadership Perspectives series featured a panel discussion with Fernando Herrera, Emil Duval, and Alejandra Royo Pallares, who shared reflections on identity, culture, and creativity in design. We also supported charitable efforts in our communities, and in Austin, our team created an installation for AIA Austin’s Las Piñatas exhibition, celebrating Día de los Muertos. We are thankful to our many colleagues for their commitment to fostering community, connection, and cultural awareness throughout SOM. 📷: © SOM

Opening today in Madrid, a new exhibition demonstrates how architects and engineers collaborate. “Interconexiones: Arquitectura e Ingeniería en SOM” reveals SOM’s design process by focusing on the connection joints—or nodes—in seven projects. Presented in a series of scale models installed in the courtyard of the University of Alcalá , each building detail reveals the architectural and structural challenges that the design team sought to resolve. Learn about the exhibition below. MORE → bit.ly/47zcMNZ