Educated in Belgium, Kim Van Holsbeke brings a European sensibility and a commitment to shaping a well crafted public realm to his design work. Since joining SOM in 2000, he has carried this thread through a number of the firm’s most significant projects, and has developed a holistic approach to the design of public-facing buildings and urban districts. At the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Maryland, Kim helped craft a highly sustainable campus that symbolizes the bureau’s values while accommodating a large and shifting workforce.
More recently, Kim brought his approach to the Manhattan West development and High Line Connector, which together will form a welcoming extension of New York’s urban fabric and create new linkages between several neighborhoods. The same principles are driving 175 Park Avenue, a mixed-use tower adjacent to Grand Central Terminal that will be one of the most prominent new buildings in New York. As the designer leading the project, Kim shaped its striking design and significant public realm improvements, which include outdoor terraces and a skylit transit hall.
Each project is an opportunity not just to design a building but to improve the urban fabric of a place. By creating dignified public spaces and thoughtful connections between buildings, we can leave a positive impact on the communities in which we work.
Kim’s understanding of urban real estate and the development community are invaluable assets for his clients and colleagues. Intrigued by the challenge of designing memorable, human-scaled projects, Kim thrives within SOM’s multidisciplinary planning and design practices.
