SOM's new monograph explores the firm's most transformative work realized in 2009-2019

skidmore, owings and merrill (SOM) has unveiled its latest monograph exploring some of the firm’s most transformative work realized between 2009 and 2019. published as the sixth volume of a series covering every era of the studio’s history -from its iconic modernist works of the 1950s through to the projects of today- the book showcases more than 40 projects, including burj khalifa in the UAE, the ‘floating cube’ federal courthouse in los angeles, the master plan for the cornell tech campus on roosevelt island, the CCLD in colorado, chicago’s optimo hat company headquarters, the billie jean king library in california, and of course, one world trade center.

all images courtesy of SOM

published by monacelli, the new monograph documents SOM’s projects through detailed profiles, as well as never-before-published photographs, plans, and drawings. organized chronologically, the book presents a wide variety of the firm’s most significant works of the past decade, ranging from a prototype for a biophilic breathing wall to the new headquarters for NATO in brussels. the collection includes structures across all building types and locations, highlighting the studio’s ability to design and execute complex, technical, and efficient structures.

with the threat of climate change becoming more apparent by the day, this volume focuses on how SOM is working towards reducing each project’s carbon footprint. working in pursuit of a zero-carbon built world, the firm is pioneering new approaches to adaptive reuse, cultivating emerging technologies including machine learning, inventing new tools to optimize building performance, and beyond.

through in-depth essays, architecture writer and critic sam lubell dives into SOM’s radically rigorous approach to design in today’s complex world, exploring the unique ideas cultivated within the studio and how those ideas are transformed into transformative spaces across the globe. as with the previous five volumes in the series, renowned design studio pentagram led the book’s design in collaboration with SOM.