Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

From D.C. to Dubai, we recently hosted our Winter Shadowship—a week-long program that offers an immersive professional experience with mentorship and guidance to undergraduate and graduate students in architecture, planning, structures, and interiors. Gaining a well-rounded perspective of day-to-day life across our studios, we welcomed students from around the world. The experience included site visits, lectures, events, job shadowing, interview coaching, and portfolio reviews for a five-day immersion that demonstrated SOM’s innovative work and unwavering commitment to excellence. Thanks to all who participated! 📷: Francisco Lopez de Arenosa and Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM

In 2018, Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University announced their intention to create a cancer care center that has “never before been seen or imagined"—and last year that vision was realized. Invited to the Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 podcast to share how we met that challenge, Principal Anthony Treu said, "We invited people into a process where the goal was to explore the challenges and figure out the solutions together. So it wasn't about convincing them why we should do something ambitious or new. It was about working together to find out something that was a very real solution to what they needed." Listen to the episode below to learn more about how the Winship Cancer Institute transcends established practices of hospital design—and how our two-story "care communities," each centered on a specific type of cancer, has tailored healthcare to the journey of each patient. MORE → bit.ly/3WCqyus 📷: Dave Burk © SOM 

Lunar New Year is nearly upon us! Wishing good fortune to all in the year ahead. 🐍

At SOM, we approach our interior work from the inside out and the outside in—creating a curated journey that's just as memorable from the interior as it is from the exterior. It's how we design human-centric environments while continually decarbonizing across all our projects. On Friday, January 24, catch SOM Partner Julia Murphy AIA, LEED AP and Associate Principal Irina Sai at the Interior Design Show in Toronto to learn just how we implement this holistic mindset in our work. Citing as case studies our New York studio at 7 World Trade Center and Urban Sequoia—our design concept for a carbon sequestering building—Murphy and Sai will present the ways we can unite our vision for a zero-carbon future at the city scale with an emphasis on creating healthier settings indoors. Following their presentation, AZURE Magazine (AZURE Media) Editor in Chief Elizabeth Pagliacolo will moderate a Q&A. Register below. MORE → bit.ly/42pYQVi 📷: © SOM | Dave Burk

“In a constantly evolving city, The Skywaters represents more than just an address—it is a legacy of luxury and sophistication to be passed down for generations,” writes Forbes about what’s to become Singapore’s tallest building. Designed for exclusivity with unparalleled views of the city, The Skywaters is the ultra-luxury residential portion of the 305-meter-tall 8 Shenton Way, which in addition to the condos, touts offices, retail, a hotel, and an expansive public realm. A performance and events space enhances access, and landscaping will extend from the street into the building, adding a new stop along the neighborhood’s lush pedestrian corridor. In total, 8 Shenton Way will offer 11,000 square meters of green space, featuring more than 400 trees and 170 plant species and is set to be one of Asia’s most sustainable skyscrapers. Read the feature on The Skywaters in Forbes below. MORE → bit.ly/4h3ipqV © SOM | Bezier

We are pleased to present our fourth annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Report. At a time when many are pulling back on DEI efforts, we remain committed to fostering a global culture of diversity and inclusivity. This comprehensive report not only showcases the breadth of our DEI initiatives, but also provides key demographics, reinforcing our dedication to transparency and accountability for the future. We are again making this report available to the public in hopes of inspiring clear reporting across our industry. By sharing resources, best practices, and data, we can all work together to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable industry. Read the report below. MORE → bit.ly/4jugz4f

The latest Fellows of the SEI - Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers have been named—and Structural Engineering Principal Preetam Biswas and Associate Principal Peter L Lee have achieved the distinction. The SEI Fellow grade of membership recognizes accomplished SEI members as leaders and mentors in the structural engineering profession. Biswas has led the design of numerous large and small projects worldwide with an approach to optimize the use of materials. As an architect and structural engineer, he conceptualizes projects with an intent to celebrate the structure within the architecture. From authoring technical publications to university lectures and chairing ASCE/SEI’s Tall Buildings Committee, Biswas has been instrumental in leading the paradigm shift for information exchange and knowledge sharing in the AEC industry. And with 40 years of experience, Lee’s career focus has been a demonstrated commitment to pursuing an integrated design practice of architecture, sustainable systems, and structural engineering achieving reliable, efficient, innovative, and resilient building design. He has been instrumental in advancing performance-based earthquake engineering and application of advanced methods and seismic protection systems including isolation and damping in pursuit of the goals of enhanced performance-based seismic design. Advancing to become an ASCE/SEI Fellow is a prestigious honor that was awarded to just 17 of its 30,000 members this year—help us in congratulating Biswas and Lee below. MORE → bit.ly/4gUmhdV

An inauguration ceremony in Muscat, Oman, yesterday marked the launch of the first neighborhood of the Sultan Haitham City project. Wadi Zaha—designed by SOM for Al Ahly For Real Estate Development—is a sustainable smart city that will accommodate 100,000 residents of Muscat’s growing population. The new Wadi Zaha neighborhood will consist of 760 new residential units of varied sizes across 420,000 square meters. Construction will begin later this year. “Wadi Zaha is envisioned as an urban oasis where nature and modernity coexist,” said Managing Partner Thomas Behr. “Its strategic location in Sultan Haitham City, with views of the central park and tranquil natural landscapes, ensures a vibrant and balanced living environment.” Stay tuned for more details about our design and learn about yesterday’s inauguration below. MORE → bit.ly/4alRfco Image: © SOM | ATCHAIN

This spring, Temple University will break ground on a new building for the Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts—a dynamic structure that brings together two schools under one roof. The new 199,000-square-foot building creates a singular home for media, communications, film, and performing arts programs that are currently spread across several buildings on the North Philadelphia campus. Designed as both an academic building and a performance venue, the project will serve the campus and the broader community—a neighborhood hub for gathering, learning, and entertainment. It’s all part of our Projects to Watch in 2025 below. MORE → bit.ly/projectstowatch25 © SOM | ATCHAIN

We are with you, L.A. 🖤