The Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) ?honored two SOM projects with a citation of merit in the 2016 Design Excellence Awards. Beijing Greenland Center was awarded in the Distinguished Building category, and Central Barangaroo was recognized in the Regional and Urban Design category. The awards were presented at the 2016 Designight awards ceremony on October 14th, 2016.
Beijing Greenland Center is a 260-meter-tall, 55-story tower clad in an intricate, trapezoidal glass curtain that creates a woven texture of light and shadow. Described by the jury as “ambitious and beautiful,” the tower’s undulating facade reduces heat gain and increases the building’s environmental performance by providing self-shading.
SOM’s master plan for Central Barangaroo provides a clear and comprehensive vision for a climate-positive recreational, cultural, and residential district on the western waterfront of Sydney’s iconic harbor. The jury noted that the plan “creates a new entrance to the area, which is a huge gesture to the public,” and that SOM is “engaging the waterfront in a different way; it’s a non-obvious move.”