Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (
SOM) is an American
architectural,
urban planning, and
engineering firm. It was formed in Chicago in 1936 by
Louis Skidmore and
Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by
John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in
New York City,
New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest architectural firms in the world. Their primary expertise is in high-end commercial buildings, as it was SOM that led the way to the widespread use of the modern
international-style or "glass box" skyscraper. They have designed several of the tallest buildings in the world, including the
John Hancock Center (1969, second tallest in the world when built),
Willis Tower (1973, tallest in the world for over twenty years), and
Burj Khalifa (2010, current world's tallest building). SOM provides services in
Architecture, Building Services/MEP Engineering, Digital Design, Graphics,
Interior Design,
Structural Engineering,
Civil Engineering,
Sustainable Design and
Urban Design & Planning.