What is skidmore, owings & merrill known for
- Skidmore, owings & merrill projects
- Skidmore, owings & merrill buildings
- Skidmore, owings & merrill owner
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SOM (architectural firm)
American architectural and engineering firm
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Professional services |
| Founded | 1936; 89 years ago (1936), in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Mustafa Abadan, William F. Baker, Thomas Behr, Keith Boswell, Carrie Byles, Larry Chien, Leo Chow, Brant Coletta, Chris Cooper, Paul Danna, Mark Sarkisian, Michael Duncan, Scott Duncan, Laura Ettelman, Xuan Fu, T.J. Gottesdiener, Gary Haney, Craig Hartman, Kent Jackson, Colin Koop, Kenneth Lewis, Adam Semel, Jonathan Stein, Douglas Voigt |
| Services | Architecture, building services/MEP engineering, graphics, interior design, structural engineering, civil engineering, sustainable design and urban design & planning |
| Revenue | $347 million (2021) |
| Website | www.som.com |
SOM, an initialism of its original name Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, is a Chicago-based architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm. It was founded in 1936 by Louis Skidmore an
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History
For over four decades, the mission of the SOM Foundation has remained constant but its programs, initiatives, and leadership have evolved to address the specific issues of its time. From the Chicago Institute for Architecture and Urbanism to the current awards, these efforts are dedicated to investing in and supporting the next generation of designers.
Detail of the Charnley House, former headquarters of the CIAU. © Chicago History Museum | Hedrich Blessing Collection.
Origins of the Foundation
The architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) traces its origins back to 1936, when Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings formed a partnership in Chicago. A second office was opened in New York City the following year. In 1939 the partnership adopted its present name with the addition of a third member, architect and structural engineer John O. Merrill. The firm found success working on governmental, corporate, and civic projects and rapidly expanded in the following decades. By the early 1960s, SOM had established multiple offices across th
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An early proponent of the International Style, the architectural firm of Skidmore,
Owings and Merrill (SOM) was best noted for its technical innovations in skyscraper design, especially during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The “glass box” aesthetic, derived
from Mies van der Rohe, for SOM became an experiment in which, although the general style and form remained quite consistent and even somewhat bland, subtle modifications and structural enhancements were progressively undertaken. SOM’s version of corporate architecture dominated the field of high-rise building during this period, even after competing up-and-coming firms introduced more progressive design concepts and seemingly left SOM a dinosaur living off past laurels. Yet owing to its vast resources, stability, and reputation, the firm was able to maintain a consistently strong position with corporate clients, even after the retirement of the founding partners and key designers.
Founded in Chicago in 1936, SOM emerged during troubled economic times and with few early building projects.
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