Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): history, work, and influence

Characteristics and technical innovations

SOM projects often emphasize clarity of structure, economical construction and the expression of engineering logic in the building’s form. The firm helped popularize the glass curtain wall and other International Style ideas in mid‑20th century corporate architecture, and later advanced technical approaches to tall buildings. Notably, structural engineers at the firm developed the tubular structural system that made very tall, efficient skyscrapers practical; this engineering legacy remains a defining characteristic of many SOM high‑rise designs.

History and global presence

The practice was established in Chicago and formally organized by Louis Skidmore—often cited as Louis Skidmore—and Nathaniel Owings, with John O. Merrill joining in 1939. The firm opened its first branch office in New York City in 1937 and later expanded internationally. SOM maintains studios in major cities including Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai and Dubai, supporting work across continents and building types.

Notable projects and building types

SOM’s portfolio spans corporate headquarters, cultural institutions, airports, residential towers and urban master plans. The firm has designed several landmark skyscrapers and civic works that shaped skylines and engineering practice. Selected examples include:

• John Hancock Center (Chicago, 1969) — an early, prominent high‑rise project that combined structural expression and mixed‑use program.
• Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower, 1973) — a breakthrough tall building that used bundled‑tube principles and dominated the skyline for decades. Willis Tower
• Burj Khalifa (Dubai, 2010) — the world’s tallest completed building at the time of opening, designed while a leading SOM practice member led the project. Burj Khalifa
• Lever House (New York) — an influential early glass‑clad corporate headquarters that helped define postwar modernism.
• One World Trade Center (New York) — a recent, symbolic tower combining security, public space and technical innovation.

Influence, approach and distinctions

Beyond individual buildings, SOM has had significant influence on how cities and tall buildings are conceived. The firm’s integrated practice—pairing architects with structural and systems engineers—helped formalize multidisciplinary collaboration in large projects. SOM continues to work across scales, from single buildings to urban districts, pursuing sustainability, resilience and the technical challenges of height and complexity. Its work is frequently studied for lessons in modernist aesthetics, high‑rise engineering and the relationship between form and structure.