SOM with WashU, Norcon, and MACRC

Chicago and St. Louis, United States

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global practice of architects, engineers, and planners designing buildings, interiors, and public spaces that push the boundaries of technical and environmental innovation. From several of the world’s tallest structures to the development of new low-carbon building materials, SOM’s designs anticipate change in the way we live, work, and build. The firm’s commitment to sustainability is evident not only in its industry-leading carbon-neutral operations but also in its portfolio of work—from the first net-zero mass timber government building in the United States, completed for San Mateo County last year, to the net-zero Bio-Block™ material installation unveiled at the 2023 Chicago Architecture Biennial, and everything in between.

2025 Biennial Project

Project Overview

Re-SPLAM (Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber)

How will we build differently in a circular economy? What new systems have to be invented to make efficient use of scarce resources? Re-SPLAM [Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber] is a pavilion that demonstrates how smaller wood elements salvaged from homes across Chicago can be repurposed and engineered into a larger structural system. Tapping into an often overlooked reserve of existing building materials, this circular approach not only prevents timber from being landfilled and preserves its sequestered carbon, but also eliminates the need for new raw materials. Prominently sited in the South Boeing Gallery, the pavilion is a prototype for a system that, if applied at a large scale, could greatly reduce our burden on a scarce global resource while meeting the needs of future generations.

Previous Work

Project Overview

Venue

View more

Millennium Park

Address

201 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60602

Neighborhood

The Loop

Description

Millennium Park is a prominent public park located on Michigan Avenue, directly across the street from the Chicago Cultural Center. The park is home to the Pritzker Pavilion, designed by Frank Gehry, as well as public artworks by Anish Kapoor and Jaume Plensa. Since it opened in 2004, it has frequently hosted works of contemporary architecture and art.

Millenium Park. Photograph by Patrick L. Pyszka.
Chicago Architecture Biennial