What Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) does

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is a privately held architecture, structural engineering, interior design, and urban planning firm founded in 1936 in Chicago. Operating 15 studios globally with a workforce of 1,001-5,000, the firm has completed over 10,000 projects across 75+ countries. It serves enterprise and institutional clients in real estate development, government, healthcare, higher education, airports/transportation, cultural, hospitality, and commercial sectors, organized around 22 expertise areas spanning architecture, structural/civil engineering, sustainable engineering, interiors, landscape, and urban design.

SOM's technical platform rests on in-house structural and sustainable engineering capabilities, including proprietary innovations such as the buttressed core structural system developed for the Burj Khalifa and a shape-memory alloy tension rod seismic system first deployed at UC Berkeley's Grimes Engineering Center. The firm applies computational fluid dynamics, energy and carbon modeling, whole-life carbon consulting, and performance-based seismic design across its project portfolio. A separate Product Design practice generates additional revenue through licensed collections including the SOM76 and SOM79 furniture lines (produced with Teknion's IkonStudio), Tetras lighting for Artemide, Nebula urban lighting for Neri, Dyad marble tiles with AKDO, and Valli door hardware.

SOM generates revenue primarily through professional services fees negotiated on a project basis for large-scale architectural, engineering, and planning commissions, supplemented by licensing royalties from product design collaborations. The firm pursues clients through enterprise field sales, direct professional relationships, and reputation-driven selection on landmark institutional, civic, and commercial projects, and is employee-owned with no disclosed parent company or external investors.

Name

Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)

Legal name

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Website

https://som.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SOM is a 90-year-old, employee-owned global architecture, structural engineering, and urban planning firm with 15 studios, serving institutional, governmental, healthcare, education, and commercial real estate clients across 75+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: SOM generates revenue through fees for architectural design, interior design, urban planning, and landscape architecture services on major building projects worldwide.
2. Structural and Civil Engineering: Engineering consulting services including structural design, seismic engineering, sustainable engineering, and civil infrastructure design.
3. Product Design and Licensing: Revenue from furniture collections (SOM76, SOM79, Tetras lighting for Artemide, Dyad tile collection with AKDO), fixtures, and architectural product design collaborations with manufacturers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is a global architecture, structural engineering, interior design, and urban planning firm that delivers multidisciplinary design services for buildings, infrastructure, and urban environments. The firm operates across 22 expertise areas including airports, healthcare, higher education, commercial towers, civic and government facilities, transportation, residential, and sustainable engineering, serving institutional, governmental, and commercial clients in 75+ countries. In addition to professional design services, SOM maintains a Product Design practice that develops furniture, lighting, tile, and architectural hardware collections in collaboration with manufacturers.

Product overview

SOM is an architecture, design, engineering, and planning firm offering a broad portfolio of professional services across 22 expertise areas including airports, commercial, cultural, healthcare, hospitality, mixed-use, residential, and structural engineering. The firm also maintains a Product Design practice that creates furniture, lighting, and architectural hardware in collaboration with manufacturers. Key product lines include the SOM79 and SOM76 furniture collections (historical archive revivals produced with IKONstudio/Teknion), the Tetras lighting collection for Artemide, Nebula urban lighting for Neri, and the Dyad marble tile collection with AKDO. SOM also develops proprietary structural engineering technologies such as shape-memory alloy tension rod systems for seismic resilience. The firm does not offer software products or APIs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOM Foundation: Foundation associated with SOM focused on research and education in architecture
• SOM76 Collection
• SOM79 Collection
• Tetras Lighting
• Nebula
• Dyad
• Valli Door Hardware
• IKONstudio Collection

Products and services

• Airports Architecture and Engineering Integrated architecture and engineering design of airport terminals, international arrivals facilities, and transit hubs for government and quasi-governmental transportation authorities, addressing phased construction, passenger experience, sustainability certification, and accessibility compliance.
• Healthcare Facility Design Architecture, interior design, and engineering services for hospitals, medical centers, cancer institutes, and research facilities serving healthcare systems and providers, with emphasis on flexible lab spaces, infection control, operational efficiency, patient experience, and sustainability.
• Higher Education Campus Design Architecture, urban planning, and engineering design for university and college campuses, including master plans, science and research buildings, residence halls, and student housing, addressing carbon-neutrality targets and evolving academic program needs.
• Civic and Government Building Design Architecture and engineering services for federal, state, and local government entities, including courthouses, embassies, government offices, and justice centers, addressing mission-critical functionality, security requirements, and public-private partnership structures.
• Commercial Real Estate and Workplace Design Architecture and interior design services for property developers, REITs, and corporate occupiers building office towers, corporate headquarters, mixed-use, and tech campus projects, with emphasis on flexible floor plates, LEED/WELL certification, tenant attraction, and operational efficiency.
• Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation Design Architecture and engineering services that convert historic, legacy, and underutilized buildings into contemporary uses, balancing preservation with innovation to advance sustainable development and extend asset life.
• Structural and Seismic Engineering Structural and seismic engineering consulting services for buildings and infrastructure, including innovative structural systems for supertall buildings, performance-based seismic design, and integration of advanced materials such as shape-memory alloys.
• Sustainable Engineering Consulting Sustainable engineering services that assess whole-life carbon, conduct energy modeling, CFD ventilation and wind-flow analysis, and apply circular-economy strategies to guide projects toward zero-carbon outcomes.
• Transportation and Urban Mobility Design Architecture, urban design, and planning services for transit systems, urban mobility projects, and city-scale transportation infrastructure, focused on sustainable cities and improved transit operations.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services integrated with architectural projects, delivered to commercial, workplace, hospitality, healthcare, and cultural clients to align interiors with broader building design intent.
• Product Design Practice Industrial and product design services that develop furniture, lighting, tile, and architectural hardware collections in collaboration with manufacturing partners, generating licensing royalties and product revenue.
• SOM79 Furniture Collection Furniture collection reviving mid-century modern and historical corporate designs from SOM's archival portfolio, produced in partnership with Teknion's IkonStudio for commercial and residential interiors.
• SOM76 Furniture Collection Historical furniture collection from SOM's archive representing mid-century modern design heritage, produced in partnership with Teknion's IkonStudio.
• Tetras Lighting Collection Modular lighting fixture collection designed by SOM for Artemide, customizable in size and spacing to illuminate virtually any space.
• Dyad Marble Mosaic Tile Collection Marble mosaic tile collection produced in partnership with AKDO, designed for interior surfaces across hospitality, residential, and commercial projects.
• Nebula Urban Lighting and Furniture Urban lighting and furniture collection designed for Neri, including the Nebula Venezia luminaire with RGBW LED technology for expanded color range, intended for public realm and streetscape applications.
• Valli Door Hardware Collection Architectural door hardware collection, including the Alina door lever in black and chrome finish, designed in partnership with Valli for commercial and residential projects.
• Science and Research Facility Design Architecture and engineering design for science and research facilities, including laboratories and engineering buildings at universities and research institutions, addressing evolving research workflows and high-performance building systems.
• K-12 Education Facility Design Architecture and planning services for K-12 schools and learning environments, addressing pedagogy, community use, and operational flexibility.
• Hospitality and Branded Residence Design Architecture and interior design for luxury hotels, resorts, and branded residences, addressing guest experience, brand differentiation, operational efficiency, and sustainability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shape-memory alloy system performs 25x better than typical structural steel in seismic testing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teknion IkonStudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026SOM partnered with furniture manufacturer Teknion's IkonStudio to produce updated versions of its historical corporate furniture designs. The collaboration involved curating hundreds of archival pieces down to approximately a dozen that will enter production, including designs originally created for IBM's headquarters in the late 1950s and a table and chair set for fashion designer Halston in the 1970s.
• Turner ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2026Turner Construction is among the builders working on projects where Dextall's robotic facade fabrication system is producing components, alongside SOM and other firms.
• Suffolk ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2026Suffolk Construction is among the builders working on projects where Dextall's robotic facade fabrication system is producing components, alongside SOM and other firms.
• Enter Projects AsiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Enter Projects Asia collaborated with SOM on the Kempegowda International Airport terminal project. The collaboration combined SOM's architectural expertise with Enter Projects Asia's use of natural materials like rattan and sustainable design practices.
• Kazakhstan New City DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026SOM is leading a £600 million skyscraper project in Kazakhstan, set to be the tallest in the region at 900 feet. The mixed-use tower with luxury hotel component forms part of the new city of Alatau.
• Olivier JanssensminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Bitcoin entrepreneur Olivier Janssens hired SOM for the Destiny project on the island of Nevis, a semi-autonomous enclave development. The project proposes self-governance with potential tax exemptions and cryptocurrency transactions.
• COIMAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Developer COIMA worked with SOM on the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Village, a 53,380 square metre development in Milan's Porta Romana district. The project opened for 1,300 athletes in February 2026 and converts to 1,700-bed student housing by September 2026. SOM's design incorporated convertibility from the outset in 2021, making it a model for Olympic legacy planning.
• LuisaViaRomaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2026LuisaViaRoma hosted the first-ever exhibition of SOM furniture from 1950-1991 at its New York flagship. The exhibition, organized and curated by Rarify, showcased more than 60 pieces of custom archival furniture alongside over 100 artifacts.
• Perennial HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Perennial Holdings leads a consortium developing The Skywaters skyscraper at 8 Shenton Way in Singapore. SOM designed the 63-storey, 305-metre tower that will become Singapore's tallest building. Aman Singapore hotel will occupy floors 24-26 with 11 suites, branded residences, and a private members' club.
• NakheelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SOM is working on Palm Jebel Ali Friday Mosque project. Nakheel awarded Dh5 billion in contracts in 2024 for 723 Beach and Coral Collection villas, with Palm Jebel Ali positioned as a major waterfront destination connected to Dubai's future growth corridor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: AECOM is a publicly traded global infrastructure consulting firm with a much broader portfolio spanning engineering, construction, and program management. It overlaps with SOM on transportation, civic, and large-scale development projects and represents a much larger but less specialized incumbent competitor.
• HDR: HDR is a large architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with strong healthcare, transportation, and civic practices. It is a broader incumbent competing with SOM on institutional mega-projects but with a less supertall-focused portfolio.
• Jacobs Solutions: Jacobs is a publicly traded global professional services firm with deep engineering, transportation, and infrastructure capabilities. It competes with SOM on civic, transportation, and large-scale institutional engineering mandates as a broader, less architecture-focused incumbent.

Direct peers

• HOK: HOK is a global architecture, engineering, and planning firm with overlapping practice areas in airports, healthcare, higher education, and commercial towers. It is one of the most direct large-firm competitors to SOM on civic and institutional commissions in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a global architecture firm with deep strength in healthcare, higher education, and science/research facilities — overlapping with SOM's Healthcare and Higher Education practices. It competes for the same institutional mega-project mandates and shares SOM's integrated design ethos.
• Foster + Partners: Foster + Partners is a global architecture and integrated design firm renowned for supertall and signature commercial towers (e.g., The Gherkin, Apple Park). It competes directly with SOM for trophy skyscraper mandates and shares the integrated architecture-plus-engineering delivery model.
• Arup: Arup is a global engineering and design consultancy with deep structural, civil, and sustainable engineering capabilities. Its integrated design approach and supertall/transportation portfolios put it in direct competition with SOM on complex building and infrastructure projects.
• Gensler: Gensler is the world's largest privately held architecture and design firm with a comparable global studio network and a similarly diversified practice spanning commercial, airports, healthcare, and workplace. It competes head-to-head with SOM for the same enterprise, government, and institutional mega-project mandates.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects is a global architecture and design firm known for signature cultural, commercial, and supertall projects worldwide. It overlaps with SOM in the same enterprise and institutional marquee-project market and competes for similar cultural and civic commissions.

Emerging players

• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): BIG is a rapidly scaling global architecture and design firm with growing practice areas in commercial towers, mixed-use, and cultural projects. It competes with SOM for headline commercial and cultural commissions and is building integrated design capabilities to rival legacy firms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/som_design
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skidmore-owings-merrill
• Facebookfacebook.com/skidmoreowingsandmerrill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)