The partners of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) announced they are launching a new design studio as part of their West Coast practice. Leading the new studio are three former SOM architects: Michael Mann, FAIA; Paul Danna, AIA; and Jose Luis Palacios, AIA.
Mann's career began at SOM and he has worked on significant Los Angeles-based projects including SOM's Gas Company Tower. He has directed and managed major domestic and international projects throughout his 30-year career and he will serve as L.A. Practice Leader/Management for SOM's Los Angeles design studio.
Danna's connection to SOM began when he won the SOM Foundation Traveling Fellowship upon graduation from Harvard's GSD program. His two-decade career includes diverse, highly recognized and award-winning projects including numerous LEED Gold-certified buildings. He is a leader in the Los Angeles design community and has served as President of AIA|LA and he is on the Board of the Architectural Guild of the University of Southern California's School of Architecture.
Palacios' career began at SOM. His work entails a broad range of building types including the design of civic, government and public safety complexes. His work includes the recently completed LAPD Headquarters and he has designed stations for the California High Speed Rail project. Jose has most recently taught at the University of Southern California School of Architecture. He will work as L.A. Practice Leader/Design for SOM's Los Angeles studio.
SOM's presence in Southern California - until recently driven by the firm's San Francisco office - includes significant new commissions such as UCLA's new Medical Education Building which will become a new front door for the campus and the Medical School; a new mixed-use project at UC Santa Barbara and a new courthouse for the Superior Court of California in San Diego which will be the State's largest. These projects are directly in line with the firm's commitment to urban, environmental and social sustainability. BD+C
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 18, 2024
A modular construction solution to the mental healthcare crisis
Maria Ionescu, Senior Medical Planner, Stantec, shares a tested solution for the overburdened emergency department: Modular hub-and-spoke design.
Codes and Standards | Mar 18, 2024
New urban stormwater policies treat rainwater as a resource
U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers. New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource.
Plumbing | Mar 18, 2024
EPA to revise criteria for WaterSense faucets and faucet accessories
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to revise its criteria for faucets and faucet accessories to earn the WaterSense label. The specification launched in 2007; since then, most faucets now sold in the U.S. meet or exceed the current WaterSense maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm).
MFPRO+ New Projects | Mar 18, 2024
Luxury apartments in New York restore and renovate a century-old residential building
COOKFOX Architects has completed a luxury apartment building at 378 West End Avenue in New York City. The project restored and renovated the original residence built in 1915, while extending a new structure east on West 78th Street.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2024
YWCA building in Boston’s Back Bay converted into 210 affordable rental apartments
Renovation of YWCA at 140 Clarendon Street will serve 111 previously unhoused families and individuals.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 17, 2024
5 criteria to optimize medical office design
Healthcare designers need to consider privacy, separate areas for practitioners, natural light, outdoor spaces, and thoughtful selection of materials for medical office buildings.
Construction Costs | Mar 15, 2024
Retail center construction costs for 2024
Data from Gordian shows the most recent costs per square foot for restaurants, social clubs, one-story department stores, retail stores and movie theaters in select cities.
Architects | Mar 15, 2024
4 ways to streamline your architectural practice
Vessel Architecture's Lindsay Straatmann highlights four habits that have helped her discover the key to mastering efficiency as an architect.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 15, 2024
First comprehensive cancer hospital in Dubai to host specialized multidisciplinary care
Stantec was selected to lead the design team for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Hospital, Dubai’s first integrated, comprehensive cancer hospital. Named in honor of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hospital is scheduled to open to patients in 2026.
Codes and Standards | Mar 15, 2024
Technical brief addresses the impact of construction-generated moisture on commercial roofing systems
A new technical brief from SPRI, the trade association representing the manufacturers of single-ply roofing systems and related component materials, addresses construction-generated moisture and its impact on commercial roofing systems.
