The latest entry in the complete series of monographs, SOM: Architecture of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 2009-2019 collects the premier global projects of this legendary firm. The legendary architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) was founded in 1936 and is now one of the largest and most influential architecture firms in the world, with major offices around the globe. This volume is the latest to cover every era of the firm's history, from the iconic modern works of the 1950s to its exceptional contemporary projects.
Documenting its major projects of the past decade across a diverse range of building types and markets, SOM excels at designing and executing complex, technical, and efficient projects. Among its exceptional work from this recent era are Burj Khalifa (currently the tallest building in the world), Manhattan Loft Gardens, the Ningbo Bank of China headquarters, San Diego Central Courthouse and new Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles, The New School University Center, Cornell Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island master plan, Agile Corporation Tower in Guangzho, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Optimo Hat Company headquarters in Chicago, Denver Union Station Hub, and of course One World Trade Center.
Architecture writer and critic Sam Lubell focuses on areas of specific expertise within the firm, and how that knowledge is shared globally across offices. Continuously committed to innovation and research, SOM's latest endeavor is in creating machine learning software to be used with a variety of platforms and enhance the firm's existing technological practices. With the looming threat of climate change, the firm has dedicated high performance design experts in all offices to lead the way in reducing each project's carbon footprint, streamlining adaptive re-use practices, and developing leading energy performance technology to incorporate into each building. A timely update documenting the firm's immense activity, SOM: Architecture of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 2009-2019 demonstrates why it has come to occupy its unique station in American and international architecture.