On Thursday, December 1st, Interior Design Magazine announced the winners of the 2016 Interior Design Best of Year Awards at an annual ceremony in the IAC Building in New York. SOM’s design for JTI Headquarters in Switzerland was awarded a 2016 Best of Year Award in the Office: Large Corporate category. The program, now in its 11th year, honors the most significant interior design projects around the world.
Surrounded by parkland and built on a former industrial site, the new JTI Headquarters is located in a Geneva district that is home to prestigious international organizations. The design consolidates four existing JTI premises within a single landmark building and demonstrates SOM’s commitment to integrated design and innovative workplace solutions. The building embodies the company’s brand values by breaking down silos and contributing to an open and flexible organization. A “continuous landscape” concept integrates three spatial typologies—landscape, social amenities, and dedicated workspace—creating a seamless experience that weaves through the building. A commissioned work by artist Liam Gillick unfolds along interconnecting stairs and extends into each floor, reinforcing the overarching design concept.