Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

An installation designed by SOM in collaboration with Artemide, the storied manufacturer of high-design lighting, is featured in a special exhibition during Milan Design Week. Organized by Interni Magazine as a centerpiece of the Fuorisalone program—a series of events and exhibitions taking place across the city during hashtag #Salone del Mobile—the exhibition, titled Cre-Action, includes contributions from international architects and designers. Our installation presents for the first time the prototype for a new lighting fixture, Tetras, designed by SOM for Artemide. The installation by SOM and Artemide shows how lighting can contribute to efficient and uplifting environments. SOM has designed a modular and versatile fixture that conceives of light as an architectural building block. The design of Tetras is based on extreme efficiency—its simple, cruciform shape achieves a perfect balance of diffuse and direct light, minimizing glare and enhancing visual comfort. In addition to the Interni exhibition, SOM’s Tetras lighting fixture will be on view at Artemide’s stand at Euroluce. Read on for details on how to experience the installation. MORE → bit.ly/42viZsE Images © SOM #salonedelmobile #milano #design #milan #salonedelmobile2025 #architecture #fuorisalone #italy #milandesignweek #designweek

Just 3 percent of members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hold the prestigious designation of ASCE Fellow, and we’re proud to recognize Structural Engineering Principal Preetam Biswas for this recent advancement. The news follows yet another recent fellowship advancement. In January, Biswas also became a Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), an institute of the parent organization ASCE. “Biswas’ significant achievements have been in both conceptualizing new structural ideas and bringing them to fruition through project work, as well as making a multitude of efforts at furthering the profession of structural engineering,” the ASCE wrote about his noteworthy distinction. Help us congratulate Biswas, who will take part in the panel discussion, “Designing Tall Buildings: What I wasn’t Taught in School…Until Now,” during the Structures Congress 2025 in Phoenix next week. MORE FROM ASCE → bit.ly/423xG6l  MORE ABOUT F.SEI → bit.ly/3QVaelg Photo: © Brant Bender Photography for ASCE

April 1 kicks off Earth Month, but at SOM, sustainability is at the core of our work each and every day. Today, we recognize the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, which has earned LEED Platinum certification—the highest mark for sustainability excellence from the U.S. Green Building Council. In collaboration with Arup, we prioritized both sustainability and wellness through key strategies, including healthy material selections, responsible waste management, and water use reduction. Key to this effort is the building’s transparent double-skin facade—a high-performance, closed-cavity design that reduces energy consumption while establishing a monumental presence on MIT’s campus. Read about the project below, just one of many featured in our recently released Climate Action Report. The Project → bit.ly/4aXZ1sz Climate Action Report → bit.ly/4iMZ1PK 📷: Dave Burk + Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM #earthmonth #sustainability

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our former Chairman David M. Childs, FAIA, who died peacefully at home Wednesday at the age of 83, surrounded by his family. David joined SOM's Washington, D.C., studio in 1971, and over the next 50 years, he was instrumental in many of SOM’s most impactful projects, including a master plan for the National Mall, the expansion of Dulles International Airport, and both One World Trade Center and 7 World Trade Center in New York City. His contributions to the profession were extensive and profound, and we will always be grateful for David's leadership, mentorship, and friendship. We will miss him dearly and extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to his family. Read his obituary in The New York Times and view a selection of his iconic legacy below. MORE → bit.ly/3DXvN1A Images: ▫️ Portrait | Greg Betz ▫️ One World Trade Center | © James Ewing Photography ▫️ 7 World Trade Center | © David Sundberg | Esto ▫️ Washington Dulles International Airport - Main Terminal AeroTrain Station | © Jeff Goldberg | Esto ▫️ Washington Mall and Constitution Gardens
| Getty Images | iStockphoto © picturist ▫️ 35 Hudson Yards | Dave Burk © SOM ▫️ JP Morgan Chase - 383 Madison | © David Sundberg | Esto ▫️ JFK International Airport - International Arrivals Building, Terminal 4 | © Jeff Goldberg | Esto

Since 2013, SOM has collaborated with Los Angeles World Airports on 11 transformative projects, including the LAX Design Guidelines. This comprehensive vision aims to enhance operations and elevate the passenger experience at one of the busiest international airports in the United States. SOM’s approach for LAX seamlessly integrates new and existing facilities to improve efficiency, create visual harmony, and provide intuitive wayfinding—all while honoring the airport’s modernist design legacy. The Terminal Facade Design Guidelines have informed ongoing renovations, including improved connections for arrivals, departures, and pedestrian interfaces with the airport’s Automated People Mover system. The guidelines are now a vital resource for design professionals, developers, builders, contractors, and the community, supporting current upgrades and future developments at the airport. Learn about our role in shaping the future of LAX below. MORE → bit.ly/4kVcTt3 📷: © Mike Kelley

“Indian airports are some of the most beautiful in the world,” writes The Economist as Principal Derek A. R. Moore shares his insights into our designs for Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai (pictured). Both serve as international gateways that embody the culture and heritage of India. “[We] wanted to ensure that when someone arrives at the airport they will instantly know they are in India,” said Moore. Learn more about how these projects stand apart from other international airports in The Economist below. MORE → bit.ly/4iOzx4o 📷 : Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM

We are proud to present our third annual Climate Action Report—a survey of our ongoing work to confront the climate crisis through action, innovation, and collaboration. Over the past year, we have continued to reduce embodied and operational carbon emissions in our projects to pursue high-impact partnerships and research while using our influence in the industry to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon built environment. As the effects of climate change are increasingly felt in the cities where we live and work, we remain committed advocates for our shared environment. In a challenging political and economic climate, we must redouble our efforts to push for lower-carbon materials, lower-energy designs, and innovative technologies that will enable us to surpass regulations and set new benchmarks. Meaningful climate action is a shared endeavor, requiring partnership across the public, private, and academic sectors. This report is an invitation to collaborate—we hope you join us. MORE → bit.ly/4iMZ1PK

Real estate owners and developers today face complex challenges in aligning their assets with evolving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. From energy efficiency to creating spaces that promote social wellbeing, architects are at the forefront of integrating sustainability principles in real estate. A new white paper, authored by SOM and published by the real estate services company BuildingMinds, explores models for effective collaboration to integrate sustainability, equity, and resilience into building design and operations. We believe that architects can and should play a crucial role in driving positive ESG outcomes—read about it in the white paper below. MORE → bit.ly/3Froeki Image: Charenton-Bercy Development & Tower by +IMGS

The new global headquarters for telecommunications company Hytera is among the most prominent recent developments in the city’s Houhai downtown district. The 43-story tower exemplifies the integration of architecture and structural engineering that has long been SOM’s hallmark, and it's one of the many project we're looking forward to this year. A diagrid steel structure gives the building a bold architectural expression. The tower’s elevators rise within this truss system, offering workers glimpses of the city as they move between floors. The facade design updates the modernist curtain wall with operable glass panels that allow for natural ventilation. This feature, together with a design that maximizes natural lighting, creates a bright and flexible working environment for the next generation of tech industry talent. MORE → bit.ly/3R7vfZW Image: Courtesy of Shenzhen Hytera Communications Corporation

Next week, Partners Kent Jackson and Mark Sarkisian will present a deep dive into Karlatornet, the tallest mixed-used building in Scandinavia, during a special event in Gothenburg organised by the CTBUH Nordic Chapter. Taking place 220 meters above the city inside Karlatornet, the public event will bring together developers, public authorities, architects, and engineers to explore the opportunities that vertical urbanism presents for the region. The event marks the recent completion of the project, which was initiated to celebrate Gothenburg's 400th anniversary. Following an international competition in 2014, SOM was awarded the project, which at 246 meters tall, represents a shift from traditional development patterns in Sweden. Today, Karlatornet has transformed the city's riverside district and serves as a spectacular new landmark for both the city and surrounding region, with its elegant and striking design. Learn more about the event and register below. MORE → bit.ly/4bMcyEC Images: © Mike Kelley and Kasper Dudzik