First European exhibition by SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

The exhibition “SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – The Engineering of Architecture” at the Architekturgalerie München (Munich) gives visitors a look at 80 years of activity by the US-based firm known for its skyscrapers.



Building higher and higher for 80 years, combining engineering and architecture to construct the tallest of tall buildings - the so-called “supertalls”: this is the core business of the famous Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Back in 1973, the firm behind the likes of Dubai's  Burj Khalifa and the Freedom Tower in New York City had already constructed a building that is still the tenth tallest in the world - the Sears Tower in Chicago (now called Willis Tower).
This tells us a lot about how much experience SOM has had in the area of high-rise buildings. 





The exhibition is being held at the architecture gallery in Munich (Architekturgalerie München) until 4 March, and it delves into the design process and structural studies required to build these iconic giants - landmarks in the skylines of the cities they stand in. 





So, visitors to the exhibition can take in structural concepts and framework - the true heart and soul of the building, which gives it the final form - as well as other aspects, like the efficiency, economy and sustainability of these unbelievable buildings.





The works of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have a common basis - simplicity, clarity, order - for development that is always up with the times, and even extends into the next generation, considering the innovative use of materials and the cutting-edge structural solutions.
The Chicago-based firm has written the history books of supertalls and keeps adding new chapters. 

Christiane Bürkelin

Exhibition: SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – The Engineering of Architecture
Dates: 19 January to 4 March 2016
Location: Architekturgalerie München, http://www.architekturgalerie-muenchen.de/
Images: Courtesy of Architekturgalerie München