Chinese/中文
Beijing – The Beijing Greenland Dawangjing Tower’s distinct trapezoidal facade was developed to take advantage of the building’s site positioning and as a means to catch and refract sunlight.
Featured Buildings Involving SOM
London – The dramatic and highly visible structural system employed on Broadgate Tower is an innovative solution to the challenge of spanning the pre-existing railways that run under the site.
Chicago – Urbanistically and architecturally, Trump Tower represents a high standard of contextual design—fitting very well into the city.
CTBUH Member Level: Supporting Contributor
Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing
Buildings Involving SOM
10 Universal City Plaza, Los Angeles
10 Universal City Plaza is a 35-story, rhombic skyscraper in the Universal City/Studio City and Burbank Media District submarket of Los Angeles, California.
222 Main, Salt Lake City
222 Main is Utah’s first LEED Gold-certified high-rise; the structure features a 20-foot glass veil that is illuminated with different colors at various times of the year.
650 California, San Francisco
650 California is visible from every direction except from the southeast, where the nearby Financial District skyscrapers block the view.
Al Hamra Tower, Kuwait City
The art of high-rise building design embraces, at least in part, how the observer reads the rise of the form from the earth to the sky.
Baccarat Hotel & Residences, New York City
Baccarat Hotel & Residences form and craftsmanship is inspired by the eponymous luxury crystal brand that owns the building.
Beijing Greenland Dawangjing Tower, Beijing
The Beijing Greenland Dawangjing Tower’s distinct trapezoidal facade was developed to take advantage of the building’s site positioning and as a means to catch and refract sunlight.
Broadgate Tower, London
The dramatic and highly visible structural system employed on Broadgate Tower is an innovative solution to the challenge of spanning the pre-existing railways that run under the site.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Undoubtedly one of the wonders of the modern world, Burj Khalifa is graceful and elegant as it reaches upward with seeming ease.
Carlton Centre, Johannesburg
Once the home to the five-star Carlton Hotel, the Carlton Centre provides a birds-eye view of downtown Johannesberg.
Cayan Tower, Dubai
Standing at over 300 meters, Cayan Tower stood as the world's tallest high rise building with a twist of 90 degrees when it was completed in 2013.
China Merchants Tower, Shenzhen
Office use building.
Five Manhattan West, New York City
Winner of a CTBUH 2019 Renovation Award of Excellence, this building had once been a warehouse, and has been redeveloped as office and retail space.
Greenland's Suzhou Center, Suzhou
The Suzhou Center incorporates passive ventilation techniques in the the design to create a unique interior "lung" that appears as a large opening.
Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Central Plaza, Nanchang
The Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Central Plaza includes two identical towers clad in a sleek glass curtain wall whose shapes morph from base to top.
Kingtown International Center, Nanjing
This tower uses a distinctive external bracing system, which creates more efficient lateral support, requiring less steel and an overall 20% reduction in building material.
Manhattan Loft Gardens, London
Winner of a 2019 Best Tall Building Award of Excellence, this building uses the intersections of the city around it to inform its unique geometry and create a welcoming lobby.
NBC Tower, Chicago
Located in Chicago's Magnificent Mile area, the Art Deco influenced office tower serves as a link between the Near North Side and the Loop.
One World Trade Center, New York City
Part of the ambitious World Trade Center redevelopment, the symbolic 1,776-foot One World Trade Center rises on the northwest corner of the Lower Manhattan site.
Park Avenue Plaza, New York City
Park Avenue Plaza has 12 corner offices per floor which overlook the Manhattan skyline while its mirrored façade reflects other skyscrapers in the area.
Pearl River Tower, Guangzhou
The building’s siting and its evocative curving shape are performance driven, and represent an example of a 21st century tower that responds responsibly to local climactic conditions.
Rizal Tower, Makati
Rizal Tower sets a standard in urban regeneration projects within a city where the highest levels and most progressive visions of urban life must be taken into consideration.
Rolex Tower, Dubai
The tower sits amidst the exuberance that is the tall building development of Dubai’s main thoroughfare. The building comes as a breath of fresh air among the crowd of towers.
Shum Yip Upperhills, Shenzhen
Through the integration of greenery, Shum Yip Upperhills blurs the boundary between project, city and natural environment, responding to the climate and the history of Shenzhen.
Sinar Mas Center, Shanghai
A centerpiece of a neighborhood development, the design features curved surfaces, accentuated by perforated metal light shelves to enhance the building's environmental performance.
Tanjong Pagar Center, Singapore
A mixed-use complex that contains office, residential, retail and hospitality spaces and won a 2019 CTBUH Urban Habitat Award of Excellence.
The John Hancock Center, Chicago
Over forty years after its completion, the John Hancock Center has established itself as one of the world’s most recognized skyscrapers and an iconic example.
Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, Tianjin
Located in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, Tianjin CTF Finance Centre features a mix of uses including office space, luxury serviced apartments, and a hotel.
Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago
Urbanistically and architecturally, Trump Tower represents a high standard of contextual design—fitting very well into the city.
Zifeng Tower, Nanjing
The triangulated, serrated façade treatment is interesting, adding depth and texture to the imposing form while allowing natural ventilation throughout.
About SOM
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world. Since its founding more than 80 years ago, SOM has earned a reputation for design excellence with a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries, and has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment.
The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with nearly 2,000 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award—in 1962 and again in 1996.
SOM at CTBUH
IIT Final Reviews and Annual Open House
3 May 2019, Event Report	– Final reviews were held for the “Sustainable Vertical Urbanism: Towards Net-Zero…
IIT-CTBUH High Rise Studio Trip in China
21 Jan 2019, Event Report	– IIT-CTBUH High Rise Studio, led by CTBUH China Office Director and Academic…
CTBUH Earmarks $85,000 to Support Research & Academic Programs
6 Nov 2018, CTBUH Research – During the CTBUH 2018 Middle East Conference, awards were conferred in…
3 May 2019, Chicago	– Event Report
Final reviews were held for the “Sustainable Vertical Urbanism: Towards Net-Zero Carbon Skyscrapers”, undertaken by the IIT College of Architecture, with assistance from CTBUH and SOM.
21 Jan 2019, Shenzhen	– Event Report
IIT-CTBUH High Rise Studio, led by CTBUH China Office Director and Academic Coordinator, Dr. Peng Du, visited various high-rises throughout Shenzen.
6 Nov 2018, Dubai	– CTBUH Research
During the CTBUH 2018 Middle East Conference, awards were conferred in relation to five CTBUH Research and Academic programs that will produce a number of important future outputs.
Seismic Design Working Group Meets at 2018 Conference
20 Oct 2018, Dubai	– Event Report
The CTBUH Performance-Based Seismic Design Working Group reconvened at the CTBUH 2018 Middle East Conference in Dubai to outline an approach for updating their 2017 technical guide.
Height & Data Committee Meets at 2018 Middle East Conference
The CTBUH Height and Data Committee met to discuss several key definitions of structural types, as well as some urban-scale considerations.
Height and Data Committee Call for Members and New Chair
9 Aug 2018, Chicago	– CTBUH News
CTBUH is reinvigorating its Height and Data Committee, seeking new members to join under the leadership of Scott Duncan, SOM, who has been named the new Chair.
Debating Tall: Tall Buildings as Severe-Weather Shelters?
1 Feb 2018, Chicago	– CTBUH Journal Paper
In the CTBUH 2018 Journal Issue I, two experts debate on whether tall buildings would provide safe shelter during severe-weather.
Fourth Building Tall Lecture Series: Greening Tall
1 Feb 2018, Chicago	– Event Report
The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) and CTBUH hosted a panel discussion on the movement to incorporate green features into tall buildings.
CTBUH Shanghai Young Professionals Committee Talks Competitions
17 Nov 2017, Shanghai	– Event Report
CTBUH China and Shanghai Young Professionals Committee (YPC) co-hosted a symposium on “Gains and Losses in Tall Building Design Competitions.”
CTBUH 2017 Conference Delegates Attend Tall Timber Workshop
29 Oct 2017, Sydney	– Event Report
Delegates gathered in the offices of Arup in Sydney to participate in the Tall Timber Workshop, which included 14 presenters speaking on topics relevant to the tall timber industry.
CTBUH Seismic Working Group Workshop Talks Industry Developments
During the CTBUH 2017 Conference, the CTBUH Seismic Working Group Workshop welcomed a handful of industry experts to discuss the latest advances in performance-based seismic design.
CTBUH China Supports Vertical Urbanism Forum at Tongji University
17 Oct 2017, Shanghai	– Event Report
The College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) at Tongji University and CTBUH China co-organized a one-day symposium on Sustainable Vertical Urbanism.
Master's Thesis Challenge
28 Aug 2017, Chicago	– CTBUH News
CTBUH is launching a new academic initiative, empowering Master's-level architecture students to research new possibilities in rope-less elevator technology.
CTBUH Shanghai YPC Holds Inaugural Meeting
3 Aug 2017, Shanghai	– Event Report
The CTBUH Shanghai Young Professionals Committee (YPC) held its first board meeting at the Shanghai office of Gensler.
CTBUH China Symposium on Tall Building Performance + Book Launch
CTBUH China and Tongji University Press held a symposium on tall building performance on August 2, 2017, followed by a book launch.
CTBUH Joins Chicago Seminar on Mass Timber Buildings
8 Jun 2017, Chicago	– Event Report
CTBUH joined a CCHRB seminar on "The Heavy Timber High Rise: Building Tall with Wood in the 21st Century," focused on new applications of wood as a structural material.
CTBUH Italy Co-Hosts the 7th Tall Buildings Conference in Milan
7 Jun 2017, Milan	– Event Report
CTBUH Italy co-hosted the seventh edition of the one-day International Tall Buildings Conference held in Milan, which focused on various challenges of tall buildings.
Second CAF-CTBUH Event Examines Tall Building Safety
18 May 2017, Chicago	– Event Report
The CTBUH, in conjunction with the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF), held the second of the four-part “Building Tall” lecture series, this time focused on "Securing Tall."
CTBUH Leads AIA Orlando Panel Discussion on Urban Sustainability
28 Apr 2017, Orlando	– Event Report
The CTBUH had a significant presence at this year's AIA Conference in Orlando, convening a panel discussion investigating the sustainability of urban and suburban living patterns.
CTBUH 2016 Conference Gold Sponsor
16-21 Oct 2016	– Conference Sponsor
Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism takes place progressively across three Chinese cities: Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.
Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings
13 Oct 2016, Chicago	– CTBUH Research
The Council is pleased to announce the Top Company Rankings for numerous disciplines as derived from the list of projects appearing in 100 of the World’s Tallest Buildings.
IIT Professor Wins Research Seed Funding
9 Aug 2016, Chicago	– CTBUH Research
Brent Stephens, an associate professor of architectural engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, has been awarded the CTBUH’s 2016 Research Seed Funding.
YPC: 2015 Achievements and Event Success
16 Mar 2016, New York City	– Event Report
CTBUH YPC held their first meeting of 2016 on March 16 at the offices of SOM to discuss the success of the past events and plans for future initiatives.
Inaugural Steering Committee Meetings in All Three Cities
10-20 Jan 2016	– Event Report
Plans for the 2016 CTBUH Conference are now well underway, beginning with initial meetings of the Conference Steering Committee in all three cities.
Computational Design Technology
19 Nov 2015, New York City	– Event Report
CTBUH YPC hosted a presentation and panel discussion focused on the current computational technology tools used today in architecture and how collaboration is enhanced in the profession
12 Nov 2015, Chicago	– Awards Event
The CTBUH 14th Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held immediately after the daytime Symposium in nearby S.R. Crown Hall.
San Francisco Regional Tour
29-30 Oct 2015, San Francisco	– Tour Report
CTBUH 2015 delegates toured San Francisco and its architectural marvels, from new construction to old historic buildings.
Chicago Regional Tour
29-30 Oct 2015, Chicago	– Tour Report
CTBUH 2015 delegates toured Chicago and its architectural marvels. From recently constructed skyscrapers to the modern marvel of Willis Tower, which held the tallest title for 25 years.
World Trade Center: One WTC Office Building Tour
28 Oct 2015, New York City	– Tour Report
CTBUH 2015 delegates toured One World Trade Center Office Building which is the current tallest building in the Americas.
World Trade Center: 3, 4 and 7 Building and Construction Tours
CTBUH 2015 delegates toured the World Trade Center: 3, 4 and 7, all of which are in the middle of construction.
CTBUH 2015 New York Conference Gold Sponsor
26-30 Oct 2015, New York City	– Conference Sponsor
After a post-recession hiatus in tall building construction in many countries lasting several years, numerous cities are again resurgent.
Panel Handles Mean, Green Questions at Architect @ Work in China
3 Jul 2015, Shanghai	– Event Report
As part of its role as a strategic partner of the Architect @ Work China Conference in Shanghai, CTBUH hosted a panel discussion entitled “Greening the Vertical Habitat.”
CTBUH Dubai Leads Tour of Cayan Tower
9 Jun 2015, Dubai	– Event Report
CTBUH Dubai hosted a tour of Dubai's Cayan Tower, situated in the heart of the Dubai Marina. The tour was led by Dean McGrail, a CTBUH representative in UAE, and Director at WSP.
EMI Lead Chicago Tall-Building Study Trip
25-29 May 2015, Chicago	– Tour Report
A group of 20 Belgian real estate professionals traveled to Chicago from May 25-29 to visit several tall buildings, and related developments as part of a CTBUH Belgium study trip.
CTBUH Chicago Talks Tall Timber
25 Feb 2015, Chicago	– Event Report
CTBUH Chicago and YPC held a lecture entitled “Tall Timber Buildings: Trends and Research” given by Benton Johnson, drawing 90-plus attendees.
CTBUH 13th Annual Awards Executive Table Sponsor
6 Nov 2014, Chicago	– Awards Event
Nanjing Regional Tour Report
20-21 Sep 2014, Nanjing	– Tour Report
After getting the high speed train from Shanghai, delegates toured the Suning Gulou Ruicheng project, followed by a trip to the rooftop of one of its 250-meter office buildings.
Sinar Mas New Bund Technical Tour Report
19 Sep 2014, Shanghai	– Tour Report
Delegates for the Sinar Mas New Bund tour were given presentations by SOM & APP, who described the planning of the complex & the derivation of its organic form from the Magnolia flower.
Jin Mao Tower Technical Tour Report
The Jin Mao Tower, adjacent to the conference venue, provided ample opportunity for exploring the lobby, office section, top floor, observation deck, refuge floor & the Grand Hyatt.
Considering the Whole Life Cycle Workshop, Shanghai 2014
16 Sep 2014, Shanghai	– Event Report
This session brought building environmental performance issues to the forefront in building design, a field that has been criticized in the past for its resource-heavy construction.
AAAS “Future of Cities” Symposium Sees Destiny in Density
Executive Director Antony Wood, Trustee Bill Baker, and several academic experts on urban issues spoke at the AAAS Annual Meeting on the panel The Future of Cities: Dense or Dispersed?
International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Vol. 2 No. 4
Dec 2013, Seoul	– CTBUH Publication
The International Journal of High-Rise Buildings, Volume 2: Number 4 includes 8 papers focusing on pure research content and investigations in tall building design.
CTBUH Affirms One World Trade Center Height of 1776'
12 Nov 2013, Chicago	– CTBUH News
The CTBUH Height Committee reached a consensus that One World Trade Center’s height to its architectural top is 1,776 feet (541.3 meters).
Activity at the CTBUH London Conference: Day Two
12 Jun 2013, London	– Conference Activity
See the highlights from the second day of the CTBUH 2013 London Conference including The Shard Networking Reception.
CTBUH 2013 London Conference Silver Sponsor
11-13 Jun 2013, London	– Conference Sponsor
In the midst of two decades of unprecedented tall building development globally, Europe has increasingly embraced the skyscraper, even in cities seen as “anti-tall.”
Leading Structural Firms Help the Council on LCA Research
Feb 2013, Chicago	– CTBUH Research Report
Twelve of the world’s best-known structural engineering firms helped the CTBUH Research Team to perform a fundamental part of its LCA research project.
18 Oct 2012, Chicago	– Awards Event
The CTBUH 11th Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held immediately after the afternoon Symposium in nearby S.R. Crown Hall.
China Special Issue of CTBUH Journal
Sep 2012, Chicago	– CTBUH Publication
In conjunction with the Shanghai 9th World Congress, CTBUH published a special edition of the Journal that focused on China.
CTBUH 2012 Shanghai Conference Gold Sponsor
19-21 Sep 2012, Shanghai	– Conference Sponsor
That the 21st Century will be the age of the Asian Skyscraper seems indisputable. Already, the past two decades have witnessed a major shift in tall buildings from west to east.
Sustainability Workshop, Shanghai
The CTBUH Tall Buildings and Sustainability Working Group convened the day before the start of the Shanghai Congress to review recent progress and focus on goals for the future.
Climbing the Coast: Tour Report of New Chicago Skyscraper
24 Jul 2012, Chicago	– Tour Report
With only two floors left before topping out, the CTBUH Young Professionals Committee organized a tour last week of the Coast at Lakeshore East.
Venice Workshop Explores "Tall on the Water"
3-13 Jul 2012, Venice	– Event Report
More than 50 students from eight countries participated this month in the IUAV University of Venice's second annual Venice Tall Building Workshop, Tall on the Water.
Jun 2012, Tokyo	– CTBUH Publication
CTBUH India: High-rise Building Technology
14 Jan 2012, New Delhi	– Event Report
CTBUH Chairman Timothy Johnson, of NBBJ, and CTBUH Advisory Group Member Ahmad Abdelrazaq, of Samsung, recently spoke at a CTBUH seminar on building technology.
CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference Gold Sponsor
10-12 Oct 2011, Seoul	– Conference Sponsor
This conference aimed to shed new light on the meaning and value of tall buildings in the rapidly growing city of Seoul, from the perspectives of green, safety, and humanity.
2011 CTBUH Leaders Meeting
9 Oct 2011, Seoul	– Event Report
Tall building industry leaders from around the globe met at the seminal Dongbu Financial Center tower for the 2011 CTBUH Leaders Meeting.
New CTBUH Fellows
Jun 2011	– CTBUH News
This year, three individuals are being recognized by the CTBUH for their contribution to the Council over an extended period of time: Ron Klemencic, Brett Taylor & John Zils.
Research, Academic & Postgraduate Working Group Meeting
4 Apr 2011, New York City	– CTBUH Research
The third meeting of the CTBUH Research, Academic & Postgraduate Working Group was held in New York City on April 4. The meeting was hosted by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
World Trade Center Tour Report
3 Apr 2011, New York City	– Tour Report
Almost ten years after the destruction of the twin towers, we can now see that the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site is in full swing.
Korean Supertall Technologies Research Project
Apr 2011, Seoul	– CTBUH Research
The Council has secured research project funding from Korea as part of the establishment of its new research division.
CTBUH 9th Annual Awards VIP Table Sponsor
The CTBUH 9th Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held immediately after the afternoon Symposium in nearby S.R. Crown Hall.
CTBUH 9th Annual Awards Executive Table Sponsor
2010 Mock Firms Skyscraper Challenge
16 Apr 2010, Chicago	– Event
Students from all over the US are challenged to assemble a team as a mock firm and design, construct and commercially market a high-rise on an actual existing plot in a city.
CTBUH 2010 Mumbai Conference Silver Sponsor
3-5 Feb 2010, Mumbai	– Conference Sponsor
Rapid urbanization in a developing country such as India over the past decade have resulted in almost 200,000 people migrating from rural to urban regions every day.
CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference Silver Sponsor
22-23 Oct 2009, Chicago	– Conference Sponsor
Tall Buildings have enjoyed two decades of unprecedented development. That position is now under threat from the twin challenges of global climate change and a severe recession.
Trump Tower Tour
21 Oct 2009, Chicago	– Tour Report
About 22 conference delegates had the opportunity to attend an educational pre-conference tour of Chicago skyline’s newest super-tall tower, the Trump International Hotel & Tower.
John Hancock Center Tour
Attendees of the 2009 CTBUH Chicago Conference were lead by Brian Keaty through the entirety of Chicago's famous John Hancock Center.
CTBUH Trump Tower Tour
29 May 2009, Chicago	– Tour Report
CTBUH staff had a most informative tour of Chicago skyline’s newest feature, the Trump International Hotel & Tower.
2009 Mock Firms Competition
8 May 2009, Chicago	– Event
CTBUH staff Antony Wood, Jan Klerks and Philip Oldfield were involved in the reviews of the "Mock Firms National Skyscraper Challenge" organized by Chicago Architecture Today.
IIT and University of Nottingham Design Collaboration
Mar 2009, Chicago	– Event Report
Students from the University of Nottingham recently visited Chicago as part of a tall building design studio collaboration with the ‘Remaking of Mumbai’ studio at IIT.
Sustainability Working Group - 2nd Meeting
2 Oct 2008, Chicago	– Event Report
Discussions at this meeting centered on the creation of a significant new publication “The CTBUH Guide to Sustainability for Tall Buildings in Urban Environments.”
CTBUH 2008 Dubai Conference Silver Sponsor
3-5 Mar 2008, Dubai	– Conference Sponsor
The Congress hosted presentations, seminars and workshops covering virtually every aspect of tall building development, with a particular emphasis on sustainability.
Trump International Hotel & Tower Tour
29 Oct 2007, Chicago	– Tour
Lucas Tryggestad of SOM gave an tour of the Trump International Hotel & Tower as part of the design research studio held at the Illinois Institute of Technology by Antony Wood.
CTBUH 5th Annual Awards Dinner Sponsor
The CTBUH 5th Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held in S. R. Crown Hall, located on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus.
CTBUH 4th Annual Awards Contributor
18 Oct 2005, New York City	– Awards Event
The CTBUH 4th Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held in the Astor Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.
CTBUH 3rd Annual Awards Dinner Table Sponsor
The CTBUH 3rd Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held in S. R. Crown Hall, located on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus.
CTBUH 2nd Annual Awards Dinner Gold Sponsor
The CTBUH 2nd Annual awards ceremony and dinner was held in S. R. Crown Hall, located on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus.
See more SOM related initiatives
Fazlur Khan
CTBUH Chairman, 1979 – 1982
William Baker
CTBUH Board of Trustees, 2008 – 2014
CTBUH Advisory Group, 2015 – 2018
CTBUH Leaders at SOM
CTBUH Advisory Group, 1999
Mark Sarkisian
Zhexiong Chai
CTBUH Chapter Board Member, 2018 – Present
Yue Zhu
Craig Hartman
CTBUH Awards Jury, 2004
Luke Leung
CTBUH Expert Peer Review Committee, 2014 – Present
Arpan Bakshi
CTBUH Skyscraper Center Editorial Board, 2014 – 2015
Bin Pan
CTBUH Future Leaders Committee, Shanghai, 2018 – Present
Aaron Mazeika
CTBUH Skybridges Research Project Steering Committee, 2019 – Present
Neville John Mathias
CTBUH Working Group: Outrigger Design, 2011 – 2012
Javier Arizmendi
CTBUH Annual Conference, Presenter, 2016
Keith Boswell
Charles Besjak
Larry Chien
Gary Haney
Dmitri Jajich
Peter Kindel
Brian Kleiver
Ellen Lou
Finn MacLeod
Darren Rizza
Naifei Sun
Li Shao
Turner Solterman
Douglas Voigt
Jue Zhang
Brant E. Coletta
CTBUH Annual Conference, Session Chair, 2016
Ame Engelhart
CTBUH Annual Conference, Poster Presenter, 2019
Silas Chiow
CTBUH Annual Conference, Steering Committee, 2016
Kent Jackson
Leo Chow
CTBUH Innovation Conference, Speaker, 2018
Zhaofan Li
Christopher Wollaston
George Efstathiou
CTBUH Awards Symposium, Speaker, 2014
Rupa Garai
Kenneth Lewis
Michael Pfeffer
CTBUH China Awards Symposium, Speaker, 2016
Philip Enquist
CTBUH International Research Seed Funding, Peer Review Panel, 2012
Nicholas Holt
Austin Devin
CTBUH IJHRB Research Journal, 2017
Tobias Fast
CTBUH IJHRB Research Journal
Hal Iyengar
John Zils
See all CTBUH Leaders at SOM
CTBUH Resources Involving SOM
Global Icon Award 2010
Innovation Award 2016
Pin-Fuse Seismic System
Fazlur R. Khan Medal Award 2008
William F. Baker
Srinivasa "Hal" Iyengar
Best Tall Building Americas 2015
Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa 2014
Best Tall Building Europe 2009
The Broadgate Tower
Award of Excellence
Best Tall Building 100-199 meters 2019
Manhattan Loft Gardens
Urban Habitat - Single-Site Scale 2019
Tanjong Pagar Centre
Façade Access Equipment
Rocker Façade Support System
Renovation Award 2019
Five Manhattan West
Construction Award 2018
Salt Lake City, United States
Structural Engineering Award 2019
Performance Award 2014
Jin Mao Tower
Best Tall Building Asia & Australasia 2018
Poly International Plaza – Dawangjing
Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Central Plaza
Nanchang, China
Beijing Greenland Dawangjing Tower
Pearl River Tower
Al Hamra Firdous Tower
Nanjing Greenland Financial Center
Trump International Hotel & Tower
CTBUH Fellow 2016
China Award Honorable Distinction
Best Tall Building China 2016
Winner: Burj Khalifa
Winner: Pin-Fuse Seismic System
Winner: William F. Baker
See all SOM related winners & award of excellence recipients
The Future of Tall Building Technology
William Baker, SOM
A Diagrid of Distinction Enables a Sun-Lit, Social Skyscraper
31 May 2018 – CTBUH 2018 Chicago Tall + Urban Conference
Stephen Wang, Poly Real Estate Development; Leo Chow, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Bringing Office Space Up into the Light
Stephen Wang, Poly Real Estate Development; Javier Arizmendi, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
See all SOM connected videos
A Tall Building Ethos of Integration
Mar 2018 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 7 Number 1
Brian Lee, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Tall Buildings as Severe-Weather Shelters?
31 Jan 2018 – CTBUH Journal, 2018 Issue I
Ilana Judah, FXCollaborative; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
See all papers/research involving SOM
22 Oct 2018 – Presentation at CTBUH 2018 Middle East Conference; William Baker, SOM
Since their earliest form, tall buildings have stood as technological marvels, reflecting the latest advancements in materials, methodologies, and tools. These two technologies continue to be the leading drivers of tall buildings today, though the…
31 May 2018 – Presentation at CTBUH 2018 Chicago Tall + Urban Conference; Stephen Wang, Poly Real Estate Development; Leo Chow, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Poly International Plaza is the first structure of its kind – incorporating a four-story, pure-axial load, super-diagrid frame without perimeter columns. Through its technical and spatial innovation, it redefines the human experience within the…
30 May 2018 – Presentation at CTBUH 2018 Chicago Tall + Urban Conference; Stephen Wang, Poly Real Estate Development; Javier Arizmendi, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Poly International Plaza is an office and trade center development consisting of two towers, each coupled with a low-rise podium that accommodates exhibition and retail uses; the below-grade spaces include an exhibition hall and trade center. The two…
Building Tall Skyscraper Lecture Series: Naturalizing the Vertical Realm
28 Mar 2018 – Building Tall Skyscraper Lecture Series; Sara Beardsley, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Molly Meyer, Omni Ecosystems; Yibo Xu, Stefano Boeri Architetti China
Thursday, February 1, 2018. Chicago, United States of America. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) held the fourth of the four-part “Building Tall” series, closing out a successful…
New Net-Zero Matrix – Including Nature in Tall Buildings
31 Oct 2017 – Presentation at CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
In the building design community, the most common definition of “Net-Zero Building” is a building that generates an amount of energy on-site that is equal or greater than its energy consumption. In 2015, the Department of Energy published a list of “…
CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference - Session 7B: Greening the Vertical Realm Q&A
31 Oct 2017 – Presentation at CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference; Chair: Liz Westgarth, HASSELL; Alfredo Ramirez, Underwriters Laboratories; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Mary Casey, HKA
Liz Westgarth, Principal, HASSELL, chairs the question and answer session with Alfredo Ramirez, Codes and Advisory Services Manager, Underwriters Laboratories; Luke Leung, Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and Mary Casey, Director, Social…
CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference - Session 3A: Urban Scale Infrastructure Q&A
30 Oct 2017 – Presentation at CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference; Chair: Clare Swan, JBA Urban Planning Consultants Pty; Laurane de Gendre, AECOM; Douglas Voigt, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Bas Nolta, Aliaxis
Clare Swan, Director, JBA Urban Planning Consultants Pty, chairs the question and answer session with Laurane de Gendre, Transport Planner, AECOM; Douglas Voigt, Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; and Bas Nolta, Global Business Development…
CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference - Session 4A: Connected Buildings and Urban Mobility
30 Oct 2017 – Presentation at CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference; Chair: Ame Engelhart, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Fred Clarke, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects; Christian Schulz, Schindler; Peter Halliday, Siemens Building Technology
Ame Engelhart, Director - Hong Kong, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, chairs the question and answer session with Fred Clarke, Senior Design Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects; Christian Schulz, Chief Operating Officer, Schindler; and Peter…
New South Wales at 10 Million: What Comes Next?
30 Oct 2017 – Presentation at CTBUH 2017 Australia Conference; Douglas Voigt, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Population projections show that New South Wales (NSW) will grow to nearly 10 million people by 2036, adding 2.7 million residents. Sydney, the economic center of the state, is expected to accommodate three-quarters of the growth—2.1 million…
What's the Biggest Threat to a Skyscraper?
18 May 2017 – Building Tall Skyscraper Lecture Series; Fire Safety: Simon Lay, Olsson Fire & Risk; Structural Engineering: Don Davies, Magnusson Klemencic Associates; Urban Realm: Nicole Dosso, SOM; Architecture: Antony Wood, CTBUH
Chicago, United States of America. Hosted in collaboration with the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the second event in the Building Tall lecture series featured presentations by Simon Lay, Director, Olsson Fire & Risk UK (kind sponsors for the…
What's the Biggest Threat to a Skyscraper? (Highlights)
3 Nov 2016 – CTBUH "15th Annual Awards"; Chair: Karl Fender, Fender Katsalidis Architects
Koon Hean Cheong, CEO, Housing and Development Board of Singapore; Benjamin Romano, Founding Principal, LBR&A Architectos; Pete Rose, Senior Associate, COOP HIMMELB(L)AU; and Ellen Lou, Director of Urban Design and Planning, Skidmore, Owings &…
3 Nov 2016 – CTBUH "15th Annual Awards"; Chair: David Malott, KPF
Ron Klemencic, Chairman & CEO, Magnusson Klemencic Associates; Joseph Chou, Chairman, Taipei Financial Center Corporation; Mark Sarkisian, Partner of Structural Engineering, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Rupa Garai, Structural Engineering Associate,…
Design for All Scales: Wuhan Tiandi
3 Nov 2016 – CTBUH "15th Annual Awards"; Ellen Lou, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The Wuhan Tiandi Site A master plan is none other than a social triumph, an unprecedented exercise in transforming a core area of one of China’s largest interior cities. The plan wisely incorporates a variety of elements at all heights, from the…
Innovations in Building Performance and Resiliency: Pin-Fuse Seismic Systems
3 Nov 2016 – CTBUH "15th Annual Awards"; Mark Sarkisian, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Rupa Garai, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Throughout history, it has been proven time and again that the simplest innovations can often offer the greatest and widest ranging impact. This is certainly the case of the Pin-Fuse Seismic System, which has the capability of significantly improving…
Interview: Wuhan Tiandi
3 Nov 2016 – 2016 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; Ellen Lou, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Ellen Lou, Director of Urban Design and Planning, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is interviewed by Chris Bentley regarding the 2016 CTBUH Urban Habitat Award Winner, Wuhan Tiandi Site A, Wuhan, during the 2016 CTBUH Awards Symposium at the Illinois…
Interview: Pin-Fuse Seismic System
3 Nov 2016 – 2016 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; Mark Sarkisian & Rupa Garai, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Mark Sarkisian, Partner of Structural Engineering, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Rupa Garai, Structural Engineering Associate, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, are interviewed by Chris Bentley regarding the 2016 CTBUH Innovation Award Winner, Pin-Fuse…
Panel Discussion: Shenzhen Re-centralization – Post Evaluation and Revitalization Strategy: Futian District
17 Oct 2016 – Presentation at CTBUH 2016 China Conference; Zhizhe Yu, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Yixin Chen, Shenzhen Urban Planning Bureau; Weiwen Huang, Shenzhen Public Art Center; Naifei Sun, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Felix Wu, Ping An Financial C
Monday, October 17, 2016. Shenzhen, China. Zhizhe Yu of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Yixin Chen of Shenzhen Urban Planning Bureau; Weiwen Huang of Shenzhen Public Art Center; Naifei Sun of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Felix Wu of Ping An…
Megacities - Setting the Scene Q&A
17 Oct 2016 – Presentation at CTBUH 2016 China Conference; Daniel Safarik, CTBUH; Peter Kindel, Skidmore Owings & Merrill; Travis Soberg, Goettsch Partners
Monday, October 17, 2016. Shenzhen, China. Daniel Safarik, CTBUH; Peter Kindel, Skidmore Owings & Merrill; Travis Soberg, Goettsch Partners, answer questions at the end of the 2016 China Conference Session 2b: Megacities - Setting the Scene
The Largest Megacity in the World: Assessing the Urbanization of the Pearl River Delta
17 Oct 2016 – Presentation at CTBUH 2016 China Conference; Peter Kindel, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
With the world’s urban population expected to increase by roughly 2.5 billion people by 2050, developing an understanding of megalopolises is critical to understanding and shaping this trend. The Pearl River Delta, with over 55 million people, is one…
CTBUH Video Interview – Peter Kindel
17 Oct 2016 – 2016 China Conference Interviews; Peter Kindel, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Peter Kindel of Skidmore, Owings & Merill is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2016 CTBUH China Conference. Peter discusses the urbanization of the Pearl River Delta and strategies to mitigate environmental impacts caused by continued growth…
Interview: One World Trade Center
12 Nov 2015 – 2015 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; Kenneth A. Lewis, Owings & Merrill; & Yoram Eilon, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff
Chicago, IL. Kenneth A. Lewis, Managing Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, & Yoram Eilon, Senior Vice President, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, are interviewed by Chris Bentley regarding the 2015 CTBUH Best Tall Building Americas Winner, One World…
A New Icon for an Evolving City: One World Trade Center, New York City
12 Nov 2015 – CTBUH "14th Annual Awards"; Yoram Eilon, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; Kenneth Lewis, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Yoram Eilon, Senior Vice President, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Kenneth Lewis, Managing Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, speak at the 14th Annual Best Tall Building Symposium in a presentation entitled "A New Icon for an Evolving City: One…
12 Nov 2015 – CTBUH "14th Annual Awards"; Chair: Antony Wood, CTBUH
Yoram Eilon, Seinor Vice President, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Kenneth Lewis, Managing Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Hin Kong Poon, Deputy Chief Development Officer, CapitaLand Limited, Shinichi Takeuchi, Chief Architect, Toyo Ito &…
Mediating Scale, Performance and Iconicity: A 21st Century Supertall Tower for Guiyang
27 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Kai Li, Zhongtian Urban Development Group; Colin Koop, SOM
A series of challenging site constraints prompted an innovative structural solution for the Guizhou Culture Plaza Tower (GCP), through which a new performance-based expression was created for Guiyang’s skyline. This presentation explores the…
The Fifth Façade: Designing Nature into the City
26 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Richard Cook, COOKFOX Architects
New York’s most iconic buildings, the early 20th-Century high rises, were designed as aspirational symbols of urban life with carefully sculpted forms that mediate between the great height of the structure and life at street level. These stepped…
Macro-Policy to Micro-Implementation: Responses to China’s Inward Migration in Guiyang’s City Center
26 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Thomas Balsley, Thomas Balsley Associates
This presentation explores the nature of investment in China’s interior as a result of the 12th Five-Year Plan’s imperative towards medium-size western cities and away from the major coastal mega-cities, a marked change in migration patterns from the…
2015 New York Conference - Session 1a - Q&A
26 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Panel Questions & Answers
2015 New York Conference Session 1a Questions & Answers session with speakers Scott Duncan, SOM, Greg Yager, RTKL, and Thomas Balsley, Thomas Balsley Associates.
Guiyang World Trade Center: An Essay on the Concrete Tube Structure
26 Oct 2015 – Presentation at CTBUH 2015 New York Conference; Scott Duncan, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The acute global concern about resource depletion is driving a reconsideration of the tall building typology. Expectations for energy and material efficiencies are ever increasing - particularly for a highly-engineered building type like the…
Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa: The World’s Tallest Twisting Tower: Cayan Tower
6 Nov 2014 – CTBUH "13th Annual Awards"; George Efstathiou, SOM
The Cayan Tower is a luxury apartment building with a striking helical shape, turning 90 degrees over the course of its height. Each floor is identical in plan, but is set 1.2 degrees clockwise from the floor below, giving the tower a distinctive…
Interview: Cayan Tower
6 Nov 2014 – 2014 Awards Ceremony/Symposium Interviews; William Baker & George J. Efstathiou, SOM
Thursday 6th November 2014. Chicago, IL. William Baker & George Efstathiou, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, are interviewed by Chris Bentley regarding the Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa Award winner, the Cayan Tower, during the 2014 CTBUH Awards…
21st Century Metropolis and the System Thinker
17 Sep 2014 – Presentation at CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The world is accelerating into the 21st century and will continue to be stressed by population increase. The metropolis must be part of the solution since 75% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050. Status quo design will not provide…
2014 Shanghai International Conference - Session 08 - Q & A
17 Sep 2014 – Presentation at CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference; Panel Questions & Answers
2014 Shanghai International Conference Session 08 Questions & Answers session with speakers Antony Wood, CTBUH / IIT / Tongji University; Luke Leung, SOM; and Christopher Drew, AS+GG.
Monthly Video: Five Minutes with Luke Leung
17 Sep 2014 – Monthly Video Series; Luke Leung, Director, SOM
Wednesday 17th September 2014. Shanghai, China. Luke Leung of SOM is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2014 CTBUH Awards Symposium at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Luke talks about China's current climate crisis and what is being done…
Interview: Luke Leung
17 Sep 2014 – 2014 Shanghai Conference Interviews; Luke Leung, Director, SOM
Embodied Carbon in Our Future Cities
16 Sep 2014 – Presentation at CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference; Mark Sarkisian, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Innovative planning for cities of the future is essential. Cities are the solution to responsible habitation as issues of the environment gain increasing importance. Even early at planning stages, cities, districts, parcels, and buildings can be…
2014 Shanghai International Conference - Technical Workshop 04 - Q & A
2014 Shanghai International Conference Technical Workshop 04 Questions & Answers session with speakers Don Davies, MKA; Mark Sarkisian, SOM; Dario Trabucco, CTBUH / Iuav University of Venice; Mic Patterson, Enclos; and Maurice Hermens, Royal…
Interview: Mark Sarkisian
16 Sep 2014 – 2014 Shanghai Conference Interviews; Mark Sarkisian, SOM
Mark Sarkisian of SOM is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2014 CTBUH Shanghai Conference at the Jin Mao Tower. Mark discusses sustainability of the urban habitat.
What Techniques Will Define Next Generation Tall Buildings?
May 2013 – Monthly Video Series; Aybars Asci, SOM; Gianni Bardazzi, Maire Tecnimont; Peter Chipchase, Arup; Henry Cobb, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners; Helmut Jahn, Murphy/Jahn; Yansong Ma, MAD Architects; et al
Industry leaders answering this question include: Gianni Bardazzi, Maire Tecnimont; Peter Chipchase, Arup; Henry Cobb, Pei Cobb Freed; Helmut Jahn, Murphy/Jahn; Hafid Rakem, Ateliers Jean Nouvel; Massimo Roj, Progetto CMR; Mark Sarkisian, SOM;…
What is the Single Biggest Challenge in Constructing a Mile-high Tower?
Mar 2013 – Monthly Video Series; William Baker, SOM; Craig Gibbons, Arup; Andy Davids, Hyder Consulting; Mehdi Jalayerian, Environmental Systems Design; Ahmad Abdelrazaq, Samsung
Industry leaders answering this question include: William Baker, SOM; Craig Gibbons, Arup; Andy Davids, Hyder Consulting; Mehdi Jalayerian, Environmental Systems Design, Inc.; and Ahmad Abdelrazaq, Samsung.
What is the Key to Making Modern Tall Buildings "Liveable"?
Feb 2013 – Monthly Video Series; What is the Key to Making Modern Tall Buildings "Liveable"?; Helmut Jahn, Murphy/Jahn; Christoph Ingenhoven, Ingenhoven Architects; Richard Tomasetti, Thornton Tomasetti; Ma Yansong, MAD Architects; Henry Cobb, Pei Cobb Freed; et al
Industry leaders answering this question include: Aybars Asci, SOM; Peter Chipchase, Arup; Henry Cobb, Pei Cobb Freed; Christoph Ingenhoven, ingenhoven architects; Helmut Jahn, Murphy/Jahn; Peter Oborn, Aedas; Richard Tomasetti, Thornton Tomasetti;…
Best Tall Building Featured Finalist: Al Hamra Tower: The Sculpted Tower
18 Oct 2012 – CTBUH "11th Annual Awards"; Mark Sarkisian & Aybars Asci, SOM
The Al Hamra Firdous Tower was intended to stand as an icon to symbolize national pride, while also providing highly leasable office space. To successfully create the delicate form of the tower and unique spaces within, extensive structural…
A 21st Century Vision for Chinese Cities
21 Sep 2012 – Presentation at CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Ellen Lou, SOM
This session presents an overview of contemporary city planning in China and addresses a range of challenges facing urban areas today: rapid urbanization, energy demands, air pollution, water shortages, traffic congestion, real estate dynamics, and…
Considering Place in an Integrated Approach to Tall
19 Sep 2012 – Presentation at CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Brian Lee & William Baker, SOM
The rapid development of Chinese cities has provided unique opportunities to create architecture that either responds to its context or, in the case of emerging cities, creates new urban identities. These opportunities have yielded some of the most…
Track 1: The China Context for Tall Q & A
19 Sep 2012 – Presentation at CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Panel Questions & Answers
The Track 1 panel consisting of: Junjie Zhang, East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI); Brian Lee & William Baker, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) Chicago; and Ole Scheeren, Büro Ole Scheeren, take questions from delegates.
Interview: Jin Mao Tower
18 Sep 2012 – 2012 Shanghai Congress Interviews; William Baker, SOM
William Baker of SOM is interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2012 CTBUH Shanghai Congress at the Jin Mao, Shanghai. William discusses the Jin Mao Building and it's place in the history of the Chinese skyscraper.
CTBUH 10th Annual Awards Dinner
3 Nov 2011 – CTBUH "10th Annual Awards"; Dinner 2011
The 10th Annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner was held in Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Crown Hall, on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago. The 2011 “Best Tall Building Overall” award went to KfW Westarkade in Frankfurt, Germany. The…
Seoul Conference 2011 Track Session 26: Q&A
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Charles Besjak, SOM; Taejin Kim, Chang Minwoo Structural Consultants; Han-Soo Kim, Konkuk University; Mike Stein, Fire Command Consultants; Byeong Goo Lee, SsangYong Engineering & Construction Company
Question & Answers session for Track Session 26.
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Ji Young Kim, Daewoo E&C; Mark Sarkisian, SOM; Leslie Robertson & Saw Teen See, Leslie E. Robertson Associates; James Von Klemperer, Kohn Pedersen Fox David Paul McLean, Lotte Engineering & Construction; Charles D. Clift, Curtain Wall Design and Consulting; Jungmyon Francis Lee, BAUM Architects
One World Trade Center: A New Icon Rises at Ground Zero
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Nicholas Holt, SOM
Nicholas Holt from SOM New York presents on re-establishing the culture grid after the effects of September 11th. He speaks on the master plan, how 7 World Trade Center was built as quickly as possible and how it served as a precedent to One World…
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Feifei Sun, Tongji University; Peter de Jong, Delft University of Technology; Nicholas Holt, SOM; Harry Poulos, Coffey Geotechnics; Hatice Sozer, Energy Institute, Istanbul Technical University; Kevin
Architecture Towards Net Zero and Beyond
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Mustafa K. Abadan & Luke Leung, SOM
This lecture focuses on building energy strategies as holistic systems. It explores natural and vernacular models to inform contemporary strategies.
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; William F. Baker, SOM; Ghang Lee, Yonsei University; Chee Kyeong Kim, Sunmoon University; Kermin Chok, Meinhardt; Young Sang Cho, Hanyang University
Busan Lotte Tower: Integrating Programmatic and Structural Strategies
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Brant E. Coletta & Charles Besjak, SOM
Standing at over 510 meters with 107 floors, the Busan Lotte Town Tower will play a pivotal role in representing the city of Busan as the new gateway of East Asia. The triangular tower is organized to maximize floor efficiency for each program while…
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Jae-Weon Jeong, Sejong University; Nicholas Holt, SOM; Seongsil Kim, LG Electronics Inc; John Sullivan-Fedock, University of Pennsylvania; Chaanah Bahk, SK Engineering & Construction; Yasser Mahgoub, Qatar University, Qatar
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Aybars Asci & Mark Sarkisian, SOM
Aybars Asci specializes in the design implementation of complex commercial and institutional projects. He presents on the Al Hamra Firdous Tower.
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Sabah Al-Rayes, PACE; Hyo Seon Park, Yonsei University; Rhys Williams, Honeywell; ; Ahmad Abdelrazaq, Samsung C&T; Peter Weismantle, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Jey Berman, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects; William Faschan, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
Tall Tales: Interrogating the typology of the Tall Building
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Mark Sarkisian, SOM
The ongoing and ubiquitous project of modernism has acclimated humanity to the universality of the tall building as a type. Transformations and mutations of the type have emerged subsequently - including tall buildings essentially without programs,…
Hypertowers: Integrated Design Concepts for the 21st Century Skyscraper
Oct 2011 – Presentation at CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; William Baker Skidmore, SOM
William F. Baker speaks on hypertowers at the 2011 Seoul Conference and design concepts for the 21st century.
CTBUH 9th Annual Awards Dinner
21 Oct 2010 – CTBUH "9th Annual Awards"; Dinner 2010
The 9th Annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner was held in Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Crown Hall, on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago. In a surprise move the CTBUH announced that the Burj Khalifa had won the inaugural new "Global Icon"…
Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa: Burj Khalifa: A New Typology for Tall Buildings
21 Oct 2010 – CTBUH "9th Annual Awards"; William Baker & George J. Efstathiou, SOM
The Burj Khalifa’s unprecedented height required substantial innovation in design techniques, building systems, and construction processes. The building reaches its incredible height in a graceful and beautiful form, Y-shaped in plan and carefully…
Supertalls: The Next-Generation
5 Feb 2010 – Presentation at CTBUH 2010 Mumbai Conference; William Baker, SOM
With the completion of the Burj Dubai, one is left to question: how much higher can we go? Undoubtedly, the lessons learned during the design and construction of Burj Dubai will inform the development of the next generation of supertalls. Equally…
Sustainable Strategies for High-Rise Buildings
3 Feb 2010 – Presentation at CTBUH 2010 Mumbai Conference; Russell Gilchrist, SOM
High rise buildings present opportunities for passive and active sustainable strategies that are not so readily available to their less tall counterparts. This presentation demonstrates through Skidmore Owings & Merrill’s current project work how…
Interview: Broadgate Tower
23 Oct 2009 – 2009 Chicago Conference Interviews; Timothy Poell, SOM
Timothy Poell of SOM is interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2009 CTBUH Chicago Conference at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Timothy discusses The Broadgate Tower project in London which is the CTBUH 2009 Best Tall Building Europe winner…
Towards Zero Energy in China - Pearl River Tower
23 Oct 2009 – Presentation at CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference; Russell Gilchrist, SOM
The Pearl River Tower was conceived as a ‘net zero energy’ operating skyscraper i.e. it would generate enough energy to offset its own demand. With the tower nearing completion now, that ambition will not be fully realized, in part due to the…
Session 8 - Developing Markets: Trends, Drivers, Challenges Q & A
23 Oct 2009 – Presentation at CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference; Panel Questions & Answers
The Session S8 speaker panel consisting of: Mun Summ Wong, Founding Partner, WOHA, Singapore; Russell Gilchrist, Practice Leader, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; and Ramana Rachaprolu, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, took questions…
CTBUH 8th Annual Awards
22 Oct 2009 – Awards Symposium & Dinner Videos; Dinner 2009
The CTBUH named the Linked Hybrid building as the 2009 Best Tall Building Overall at the 8th Annual Awards Dinner, held at Crown Hall in Chicago. There were also four Regional Tall Building Winners awarded on the night – Manitoba Hydro Place won the…
2009 Best Tall Building Award Winners: Broadgate Tower, London, UK
22 Oct 2009 – Presentation at CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference; Timothy Poell, SOM
Timothy Poell, SOM presents at the CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference. Each year the CTBUH recognizes excellence in tall building design and construction by conferring international Best Tall Building Awards. In this special session we gain an insight…
Engineering the World’s Tallest
4 Mar 2008 – Presentation at CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; William Baker, D. Stanton Korista & Lawrence C. Novak, SOM
William Baker, SOM, talked about the structural engineering of Burj Dubai at the CTUH 8th Wrold Congress in Dubai. He mentioned that the goal of the Burj Dubai Tower was not simply to be the world’s highest building; but to embody the world’s highest…
Towards Zero Energy: Case Study of the Pearl River Tower, Guangzhou, China
3 Mar 2008 – Presentation at CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Roger Frechette & Russell Gilchrist, SOM
Roger Frechette, SOM talked about the meaning of ‘carbon neutral’ in the context of building design at the CTBUH 8th World Congress in Dubai. The presentation examined the challenges of achieving a net zero energy building, both from an energy…
SkySourced Sustainability: How Supertall Buildings can Benefit from Height
3 Mar 2008 – Presentation at CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Luke Leung & Peter Weismantle, SOM
Luke Leung & Peter Weismantle of SOM presented additional sources of sustainability to the existing source of energy-the earth and the near-grade environment at the CTBUH 8th World Congress in Dubai. Beyond solar and wind, designers do not usually…
Tapered and Twisted Towers
26 Oct 2006 – Presentation at CTBUH 2006 Chicago Conference; William Baker, SOM
William Baker, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; reviews the structural challenges and opportunities of several tapered and twisted projects, offers solutions to the challenges and examines the expression of these solutions at the CTBUH 2006 Chicago…
Mar 2018 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 7 Number 1; Brian Lee, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The last decade has seen great design opportunities for tall building construction around the globe. The best designs represent a new generation of skyscrapers that go beyond willful preconceptions of building form and iconography, trying instead to…
31 Jan 2018 – CTBUH Journal, 2018 Issue I; Ilana Judah, FXCollaborative; Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Recent strong weather events and heavy flooding in major coastal cities have prompted debate about where to shelter and what’s appropriate to build along coastlines. CTBUH research and academic projects have both focused on the issue recently. For…
ASPECT: RATIOS – Voices of Women In the Tall Building World
8 Aug 2017 – CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue III; Ilkay Can-Standard, GenX Design & Technology; Martina Dolejsova, Studio Libeskind
ASPECT: RATIOS is the outgrowth of a program developed by the CTBUH Young Professionals Committee in New York, beginning in 2016. The purpose of the lecture series, and of this special edition, is to showcase some of the exemplary work done by women…
Frontiers in High-Rise Outrigger Design
8 Aug 2017 – CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue III; Hi sun Choi & Leonard M. Joseph, Thornton Tomasetti; SawTeen See, Leslie E. Robertson Associates; Rupa Garai, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
In 2012, CTBUH published the first Outrigger Design for High-Rise Buildings Technical Guide. In 2016, the CTBUH Outrigger Working Group felt it would be beneficial to update the design guide with variations of outrigger systems and tall building…
Ten Significant Tall Buildings, and the Significant Women Behind Them
8 Aug 2017 – CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue III; Leading Women in Tall Buildings
Recently, there has been a growing and overdue recognition in the architecture discipline that women are under-represented, not just in terms of leadership positions held, but also in terms of receiving credit for the work they have done. The tall…
Transparency in Urban Environment
Jun 2017 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 6 Number 2; Luke Leung, Yue Zhu, Stephen Ray & Adri Jevtic, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
A generation of tall buildings has been dominated by International Style with full height glazing that is often vision glass. Large glass was intended to bring the outside in, to allow a connection to the natural environment, and to promote…
Effects of Perimeter to Core Connectivity on Tall Building Behavior
Mar 2017 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 6 Number 1; Charles Besjak, Preetam Biswas, Georgi I. Petrov, et al., Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
The Pertamina Energy Tower (PET) and Manhattan West North Tower (MWNT) are two supertall towers recently designed and engineered by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The structural system for both buildings consists of an interior reinforced concrete…
The Rational Optimization and Evolution of the Structural Diagonal Aesthetic in Supertall Towers
1 Dec 2016 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 5 Number 4; Charles Besjak, Preetam Biswas & Tobias Fast, SOM
In the design of supertall towers, engineers often find the conventional frame systems used in countless buildings in the past decades incapable of providing the required form, performance and constructability demanded by supertall heights. The…
Alternatives to Supertall Super-Density: Human-Scaled Neighborhoods Within the Megacity
17 Oct 2016 – Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism; Albert Chan, Shui On Group
The explosive urban growth of China has defied almost every prior notion of human scale. Considering the fact that the nation has more than 150 cities of 1 million or more people, and plans to move some 250 million additional people into cities in…
Shenzhen Shum-Yip Tower One: A Case Study – A-E Integration – A Broad New Vision
17 Oct 2016 – Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism; Charles Besjak, Gary Haney, Preetam Biswas & Chung Yeon Won, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Conventional legacy systems in the design of supertall towers employ belt trusses, outriggers, and perimeter-bracing to achieve the required tower performance at the expense of open architecture. The Ladder-Core System developed at SOM presents a…
Structural Design Considerations and Challenges for Busan’s Haeundae Resort Complex
17 Oct 2016 – Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism; Kwang Ryang Chung, Dong Yang Structural Engineers
In the early twentieth century, many countries were obsessed with high-rise buildings taller than 100 stories, and Korea was swept up in the challenge to build high-rise buildings. However, the effects of the economic recession in the USA caused many…
Next-Generation Supertall Tower Form Determinants: A Study of the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
17 Oct 2016 – Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism; Brian Lee, William Baker, Inho Rhee & Ronald Johnson, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
This paper puts forth the elements of an integrated design approach to mixed-use supertall towers that is based on rationally creative strategies that encourage efficiency, functionality, and beauty. SOM’s Tianjin Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre…
Climate-Responsive Exterior Enclosure Design
17 Oct 2016 – Cities to Megacities: Shaping Dense Vertical Urbanism; Keith Boswell & Michael Duncan, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
In this paper, three different solutions in three different regions of China illustrate best practices for the design and execution of optimized building enclosure systems. Poly International Plaza in Beijing features a dual-wall enclosure that is…
SOM and China: Evolving Skyscraper Design Amid Rapid Urban Growth
Oct 2016 – CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue IV; Scott Duncan & Yue Zhu, SOM
China’s rapid urban and economic growth has challenged designers, engineers, and planners to innovate and collaborate to meet the needs of a changing country. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has been practicing in China for more than two decades,…
Cities to Megacities: Perspectives
Oct 2016 – CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue IV; CTBUH 2016 Conference Speakers
The CTBUH 2016 International Conference is being held in the three cities of the Pearl River Delta, the world’s largest “megacity,” projected to have 120 million inhabitants by 2050. The conference brings together some of the leading thinkers on…
Megacities: Design Challenges and Responses
17 Oct 2016 – CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue IV; Scott Duncan & Philip Enquist, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP
As this issue and the International Conference are focused on the megacity phenomenon, this edition of Talking Tall features two people who have designed tall buildings, large projects, and entire urban areas in some of the world’s largest and most…
Design Considerations for Concrete High-Rise Buildings
Sep 2016 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 5 Number 3; Kwangryang Chung & Chulho Park, Dongyang Structural Engineers Co., Ltd; Dohun Kim, POSCO E&C
Busan’s Haeundae Resort project, which is currently being constructed by POSCO E&C, comprises the 101-story Landmark Tower and two 85-story residential towers. Presently, foundation and basement construction is complete, with a final completion date…
Mechanical Amplification of Relative Movements in Damped Outriggers for Wind and Seismic Response Mitigation
Mar 2016 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 5 Number 1; Neville Mathias, Francesco Ranaudo, and Mark Sarkisian, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The concept of introducing viscous damping devices between outriggers and perimeter columns in tall buildings to provide supplementary damping and improve performance, reduce structural costs, and increase available usable area was developed and…
26 Oct 2015 – Asia & Australasia: A Selection of Written Works on the World's Tall Building Forefront; Yuping Luo, Zhongtian Urban Development Group Co., Ltd; Charles Besjak, Daniel Cashen & Colin Koop, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
A series of challenging site constraints prompted an innovative structural solution for the Guizhou Culture Plaza Tower (GCP), through which a new performance-based expression was created for Guiyang’s skyline. A design solution that values…
26 Oct 2015 – Asia & Australasia: A Selection of Written Works on the World's Tall Building Forefront; Thomas Balsley, Thomas Balsley Associates; Daniel O'Shaughnessy & Collin Koop, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Yuping Luo, Zhongtian Urban Development Group Co., Ltd
Investment in China’s interior has shifted as a result of the 12th Five-Year Plan’s imperative towards medium-size western cities and away from the major coastal mega-cities, which marks a change in migration patterns typical of the past three…
26 Oct 2015 – Asia & Australasia: A Selection of Written Works on the World's Tall Building Forefront; Scott Duncan, Brant Coletta & Rami Abou-Khalil, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Yuping Luo, Zhongtian Urban Development Group Co., Ltd
The acute global concern about resource depletion is driving a reconsideration of the tall-building typology. Expectations for energy and material efficiencies are always increasing – particularly for a highly-engineered building type like the…
The Promise of Public Realm: Urban Spaces in the Skyscraper City
26 Oct 2015 – Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City; Stephan Reinke, Stephan Reinke Architects
This paper will reveal the importance of integrating the Ground Plane, Mid-Level and Rooftop Urban Public Spaces in the City. We will explore the NYLON New York/London axis of Urban Design, with London now emerging as a 21st C skyscraper city with…
Context, Climate, Culture – Investigating Place in Tall Building Design
26 Oct 2015 – Context, Climate, Culture – Investigating Place in Tall Building Design; Robert Goodwin, Perkins + Will
Should a tower in Moscow look like one in Dubai? Once one entered a city and marveled at the unique magic of its architecture – the pastel classicism of St. Petersburg; the cobbled cortile of Siena; the delicate mashrabiya of Cairo – and there was a…
26 Oct 2015 – Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City; Rick Cook & Jared Gilbert, COOKFOX Architects
Three-dimensional Exterior Bracing Systems for Tall Buildings
26 Oct 2015 – Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City; Rupa Garai, Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias & Andrew Krebs, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
The use of outriggers with and without belt trusses has become an expedient of choice for harnessing the three dimensional potential of tall buildings to resist lateral loads. Outrigger components typically link core structures to perimeter…
Sustainable Buildings - or Sustainable Cities?
Jun 2015 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 4 Number 2; Mark Schwettmann, SOM
China's rapidly growing cities offer a unique opportunity to create highly sustainable communities. Architects and their clients, typically real estate developers, are highly focused on strategies that are effective at reducing energy and water usage…
“C.I.T.I.E.S.” of the Future: Sinar Mas Center as Exemplar
16 Sep 2014 – CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference Proceedings; Toon Ming Chua, Sinar Mas Group - APP China; Eric Schall, SOM
In a rapidly transforming environment, vertical urbanism seems to be the direction most developed and developing nations are pursuing as a result of the demands of mass urbanization. The challenge of this paper is to move the dialogue about high-…
16 Sep 2014 – CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference Proceedings; Stephen D. Ray & Luke Leung, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
16 Sep 2014 – CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference Proceedings; Mark Sarkisian & David Shook, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Towards Sustainable Vertical Urbanism
Sep 2014 – CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue III; Daniel Safarik, CTBUH
The survival of humanity on this planet relies on a radical repositioning of our cities. In the face of unprecedented global population growth, urbanization, pollution increase and climate change, it is no longer enough to simply create buildings…
Case Study: Pearl River Tower, Guangzhou
Jun 2014 – CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue II; Richard Tomlinson II, William Baker, Luke Leung, et al. Skidmore Owings & Merrill
SOM’s design for the 71-story Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, was selected in a 2005 competition. The 309-meter-tall high-performance building was designed with energy efficiency as its top priority.
Low-energy Tall Buildings? Room for Improvement as Demonstrated by New York City Energy Benchmarking Data
1 Dec 2013 – International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 2 Number 4; Luke Leung & Stephen D. Ray, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
This paper proposes a framework for understanding the energy consumption differences between tall and low-rise buildings. Energy usage data from 706 office buildings in New York illustrates expected correlations from the framework. Notable…
The Special Nature of the European Skyscraper
Jun 2013 – CTBUH Journal, 2013 Issue II; Viewpoints: The London Conference
European architecture is at a crossroads. Its commercial and environmental realities are driving buildings ever-higher, but not all are convinced. In this article – contributed by various speakers at the London Conference – we ask: What is special…
Insider’s View on Navigating Approval Process for Buildings in China
Oct 2012 – CTBUH Journal, 2012 Issue III; Brian Lee, SOM
Brian Lee, lead designer for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, discusses the complexities of designing buildings in China and the challenges of the approval process.
Case Study: Greenland's Suzhou Center, Wujiang
Sep 2012 – CTBUH Journal, 2012 Issue III; Ross Wimer, William Baker, Mark Nagis & Aaron Mazeika, SOM
At 358 meters, Greenland Group Suzhou Center marks the Wujiang waterfront with an aerodynamic form that has a unique presence, while accommodating its program with economy and efficiency. The design incorporates passive ventilation techniques through…
Considering Place in an Integrated Approach to Tall Building Design
Sep 2012 – CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Brian Lee, William Baker & Luke Leung, SOM
The rapid development of modern Chinese cities has provided designers and developers with unique opportunities to create architecture that either responds to its existing context or creates entirely new urban identities.
Sep 2012 – CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Philip Enquist, SOM
This overview of contemporary city planning in China will address a range of challenges facing urban areas today: rapid urbanization, energy demands, air pollution, water shortages, traffic congestion, real estate dynamics, and declines in local…
The Al Hamra Firdous Tower
Oct 2011 – CTBUH 2011 Seoul Conference; Aybars Asci & Mark Sarkisian, SOM
Al Hamra Firdous Tower, rising 412 meters and scheduled for completion in fall 2011, will be the tallest structure in Kuwait. A new landmark, this supertall expresses a remarkable visual dynamism, with concrete shear walls, spiraling around a central…
Case Study: One World Trade Center
Oct 2011 – CTBUH Journal, 2011 Issue III; Kenneth Lewis & Nicholas Holt, SOM
The world knows what happened in Lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001. The twin towers of the World Trade Center and several other buildings were damaged or destroyed, and more than 3,000 people were killed. The ground smoldered for months.
Wider Impacts: Tall Buildings as a Viable Proposition
2 Oct 2011 – CTBUH Journal, 2011 Issue III; Leslie E. Robertson, LERA; William Baker, SOM; Eugene Kohn, KPF
Three leading designers in the tall building industry share their take on the changes to the tall building industry and the impact of 9/11 on their design.
Organic and Natural Forms in Building Design
May 2010 – ASCE/SEI 2010 Structures Congress; Mark Sarkisian, Peter Lee, Eric Long & David Shook, SOM
Safe, efficient structural forms are abundant in nature. The challenge, however, is to quantify these forms and to derive behavior that is adaptable, constructible and cost effective. Three conceptual structural systems are considered which exemplify…
Performance Based Seismic Design of a 75-Story Buckling Restrained Slender Steel Plate Shear Wall Tower
May 2010 – ASCI/SEI Structures Congress; Sam Lee & Yun Liao, Guangzhou Scientific Computing Consultants; Dasui Wang, ECADI; Neville Mathias, SOM
The Jinta Tower is a 75-story building located in Tianjin, China, with slender steel plate shear walls (SPSW) used as the primary lateral load resisting system. Construction detail, method and schedule constraints result in the steel plates being…
Jinao Tower – The Design Integration of Structural Efficiency
1 Jan 2010 – Munich Tall Building Conference 2010; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & C. Keith Boswell, SOM
The 56 story, 232 m tall Jinao Tower in Nanjing, China, is a next-generation tower which maximizes performance, efficiency, and occupant experience. Its faceted form is derived from the juxtaposition of an innovative double-skin façade and an…
Proposed Methodology To Determine Seismic Performance Factors For Steel Diagrid Framed Systems
Jan 2010 – 13th U.S. Japan Workshop; William Baker, Charles Besjak, Mark Sarkisian et al., SOM
This paper presents a proposed methodology for the reliable determination of seismic performance factors for steel diagrid framed seismic force-resisting systems.
Case Study: Trump International Hotel & Tower
Aug 2009 – CTBUH Journal, 2009 Issue III; William Baker & Richard F. Tomlinson, SOM; Paul James, Bovis Lend Lease; Andrew Weiss, The Trump Organization
Chicago, a city known worldwide for its tall buildings, welcomed a new supertall tower to its skyline this year. Bookended by the 442-meter (1,450-foot) Sears Tower to the south and the 344-meter (1,128-foot) John Hancock Center to the north.
Performance-Based Evaluation for the 450m Nanjing Greenland Financial Center Main Tower
May 2009 – CTBUH Journal, 2009 Issue II; Charles M. Besjak, Brian J. McElhatten & Preetam Biswas, SOM
In order to obtain seismic review approval for the Nanjing State-Owned Assets & Greenland Financial Center's Main Tower, one of the tallest structures in the world to date, enjanced design measures and performance-based evaluations were utilized.
New Frontiers in the Design of Integrated Exterior Wall Systems
1 Jan 2009 – ASCESEI 2009; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & Peter Lee, SOM
How do we see structures? Frames decorated with exterior walls? Some of these walls are quite fancy, using expensive materials to create a desired aesthetic often responding with color and geometry to particular site conditions or sometimes simply…
Optimization Tools for the Design of Structures
Jan 2009 – ASCESEI 2009; Mark Sarkisian, Eric Long, Chung-Soo Doo & David Shook, SOM
Structural optimization has attracted increasing interest in the building industry, especially in the design of high-rise buildings. By selectively distributing structural members in a building, the efficiency of the resulting design can be optimized…
Steel Plate Shear Walls, Efficient Structural Solution for Slender High-rise in China
Jul 2008 – Seismic Engineering international Conference 2008; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & Zhihui Huang, SOM
The 329.6 meter tall 74-story Jinta Tower in Tianjin, China, is expected, when complete, to be the tallest building in the world with slender steel plate shear walls used as the primary lateral load resisting system. With an overall aspect ratio…
Engineering the World’s Tallest - Burj Bubai
Mar 2008 – CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; William F. Baker, D. Stanton Korista & Lawrence C. Novak, SOM
The goal of the Burj Dubai Tower is not simply to be the world’s highest building; it’s to embody the world’s highest aspirations.
Fire Protection Strategies for an Energy Efficient High- Rise Building
Mar 2008 – CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Fang Li, James Antell & Martin Reiss, RJA
The Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China features numerous design strategies to reduce energy demand, which include among others vertical axis wind turbine and radiant ceiling cooling system.
Case Study: Pearl River Tower, Guangzhou, China
Mar 2008 – CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Roger E. Frechette III & Russell Gilchrist, SOM
This paper will attempt to both define what is meant by ‘carbon neutral’ in the context of building design as well as using the case study to demonstrate how such an approach might be achieved it examines the challenges of achieving a net zero energy…
How Supertall Buildings Can Benefit From Height
Mar 2008 – CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai; Luke Leung & Peter Weismantle, SOM
Utilizing the earth and near-grade environment as a source of energy has historically been a common practice. Beyond solar and wind, designers do not usually look towards the sky as the source of additional benefits.
Sculpted High-rise The Al Hamra Tower
Nov 2007 – Structural Engineers World Congress 2007; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Aaron Mazeika & et al, SOM
At 412m tall on completion, the Al Hamra Tower is set to be amongst the tallest buildings in the world. Setting it apart from other super high-rise buildings is its unique sculpted form.
Burj Dubai Stack Effect - Passive Stack Effect Mitigation Measures in the Design of the World's Tallest Building
Nov 2007 – CTBUH Journal, Fall 2007; Peter A. Weismantle & Luke Leung, SOM
The purpose of this paper is to outline the challenges related to stack effect faced by the Burj Dubai design team and to describe the measures taken to mitigate them. The writer hastens to add that this process is still ongoing and will continue…
Jin Mao Tower’s Influence on China’s New Innovative Tall Buildings
May 2006 – 2006 International Seminar of Design and Construction Technologies of Super High-Rise Buildings; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Eric Long & Aaron Mazeika, SOM
Bridging the gap: An analysis of proposed evacuation links at height in the World Trade Centre design competition entries
Oct 2005 – CTBUH New York 7th World Congress 2005; Antony Wood & Philip Oldfield, University of Nottingham
This paper analyses the skybridge links of the numerous re-design proposals for the World Trade Centre Towers, with the aim of establishing their advantages and how they could be incorporated into tall building design in the future.
Full-Scale Validation of Finite Element Models for Tall Buildings
Oct 2005 – CTBUH 2005 7th World Congress, New York; William F. Baker, SOM
This paper overviews the monitoring program and then specifically focus on the finite element modeling of each of the buildings in the study. The paper will then present a sampling of the periods and damping ratios observed in full-scale under a…
Bridging the Gap: Proposed Evacuation Links at Height in the World Trade Center Design Entries
Oct 2005 – CTBUH 2005 7th World Congress, New York; Antony Wood & Philip Oldfield, University of Nottingham
This paper proposes to analyse in detail the skybridge links of the WTC replacement designs – impact on evacuation, structure, façade, tower operation etc – with the aim of establishing the advantages of such linkages, and how these could be…
The Wind Engineering of the Burj Dubai Tower
Oct 2005 – CTBUH 2005 7th World Congress, New York; Peter Irwin, RWDI
The Burj Dubai tower will be the world’s tallest building by a wide margin when completed. Wind is the dominant lateral load and thus governed many aspects of the architectural and structural design. In order to optimize the design for wind an…
Integration of Design and Construction of the Tallest Building in Korea
Oct 2004 – CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference; Ahmad Abdelrazaq, Samsung C&T; William F. Baker, SOM; Kwang R. Chung, Dong Yang Structural Engineers
Tower Palace III was conceived as a 93-story residential tower soaring 320 meters into Seoul’s skyline. However, concerns of the local residents and authorities over the building height resulted in a 73-story tower with the same gross floor area.
Elements of the Tall Building 2004
Oct 2004 – CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference; Brian Douglas Lee, SOM
" The design of tall buildings has always centered about desires for maximizing development rights, individual and corporate ego, and civic pride." Brian Douglas Lee of SOM writes on the elements that makes a tall building in 2004.
The World’s Tallest Building, Burj Dubai, U.A.E.
Oct 2004 – CTBUH 2004 Seoul Conference; William F. Baker, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
In this paper, the process of shaping the 2000 ft tower, Burj Dubai, in order to mitigate wind effects and assist in resisting loads is discussed. In addition, the building’s structural systems are presented and discussed.
Effective Stiffness Modeling of Shear Walls for Seismic Analysis of High-rise Structures
Oct 2003 – SEAOC Proceedings for Convention 2003; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias, Cem Ozer & Jean-Pierre Chakar, SOM
The design of the lateral load resisting systems in highrise structures is very often governed by the requirements of drift control. This is true even in buildings with relatively rigid lateral systems that include shear walls. Appropriate modeling…
Seismic Design and Detailing of Compound Shear Wall Plan Configurations
Jan 2003 – Structural Engineers Association Convention 2003; Mark Sarkisian, Neville Mathias & Eric Long, SOM
The Uniform Building Code and ACI offer only limited guidance for the design and detailing of shear walls of compound configurations such as “I”, “L”, “C”, and “T” shapes in plan. There is a dearth of examples for seismic design and detailing of such…
BUILDING SYSTEMS AND CONCEPTS - Structural Innovation
Feb 2001 – CTBUH 2001 6th World Congress, Melbourne; William F. Baker, SOM
Mankind had always lived close to the ground. During the thousands of years that preceded the birth of the skyscraper, life was limited by a reality of stairs and ladders. It was only after Elisha Otis invented a safer elevator that architects and…
Reflections on the Hancock Concept
Feb 2000 – CTBUH Journal, Spring 2000; Hal Iyengar, Skimore, Owings & Merril
This paper reviews the stages of conceptual design through the final design of the John Hancock Center in Chicago. Several unique features of the project considered during the design process are discussed.
Design and Construction of the Jin Mao Tower's Mat Foundation
Jul 1998 – Structural Engineering World Congress 1998; Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
Looking from the Yangtze River toward the new Shanghai skyline, you cannot help noticing the ever changing color of the ultra-tall Jin Mao Tower with the movement of the sun as it has become the initial symbol of the new Pudong Financial District of…
Jin Mao Tower's Unique Structural System
Jan 1995 – 1995 Shanghai International Seminar; Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ahmad Abdelrazaq, SOM
The composite structural system for the Jin Mao Tower was designed to resist typhoon winds and earthquake forces and accommodate poor soil conditions while providing a very slender tower to be fully occupied for office and hotel uses.
Load Balanced Beams in Perimeter Frames of High-rise Buildings for Efficient Transfer of Column Loads
Jan 1992 – National Concrete Engineering Conference 1992; Mark Sarkisian, Stan Korista & Ernest Makkai, SOM
Using post-tensioned concrete perimeter frames for transferring columns in high-rise structures is an effective solution to strength and serviceability. These load balanced transfers allow columns to be transferred without the use of deep girders or…
SOM Tall Building Facts
150m+ Buildings 177 Completed • 40 Under Constr.
300m+ Buildings 22 Completed • 15 Under Constr.
Average Building Age 22 Years
Most Common Function office, 132 Buildings
Most Common Material Composite, 61 Buildings
Building Functions
All building-related facts are for 150m+ buildings currently in the database.
Tall Buildings Involving SOM
1 Burj Khalifa 2010	 828 m Dubai
2 One World Trade Center 2014	 541 m New York City
3 Tianjin CTF Finance Centre 2019	 530 m Tianjin
4 Greenland Centre - 501 m Xi’an
5 Zifeng Tower 2010	 450 m Nanjing
6 Willis Tower 1974	 442 m Chicago
7 One Bangkok O4H4 2025	 436 m Bangkok
8 Trump International Hotel & Tower 2009	 423 m Chicago
9 Jin Mao Tower 1999	 421 m Shanghai
10 Al Hamra Tower 2011	 413 m Kuwait City
See full building list
1 Grand Rama 9 Tower - 615 m Bangkok
2 Greenland Jinmao International Financi… - 600 m Nanjing
3 Burj Jumeira - 550 m Dubai
4 Pertamina Tower - 523 m Jakarta
5 Guizhou Culture Plaza Tower - 521 m Guiyang
6 Guohua Financial Center Tower 1 - 465 m Wuhan
7 COFCO Landmark Tower - 390 m Tianjin
8 Wenzhou Lucheng Plaza Landmark Tower - 350 m Wenzhou
9 400 North Lake Shore Drive South Tower - 335 m Chicago
10 625 Fulton Street 2023	 287 m New York City
See all proposed buildings
10 Guohua Financial Center Tower 1 - 465 m Wuhan
See all buildings
Completed Arch. Topped Out Under Constr. Proposed