An engineer should design a structure that an architect would be ashamed to cover up.
In this video produced by PLANE—SITE and Spirit of Space for ArchDaily, two of SOM’s great minds take us through the firm’s most recent exhibition, "SOM: Engineering x [Art + Architecture]," currently on display in conjunction with the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial. Focusing on the intersection between engineering and architecture, the exhibition reveals the design process behind some of the firm’s greatest achievements through a range of sketches, models, sculptures and visuals.
In the video, Structural and Civil Engineering Partner at SOM William F. Baker and SOM Technical Designer Mohamed Sheriff describe the ideas behind the exhibition and how it fits into the larger Biennial theme of “Make New History.”
“Hand drawings are very important because you want to remind people that these things are done by people. So it’s not the art itself, but the engineering behind it,” says Sheriff. “Often people don’t realize how engineering can be this dynamic and exciting.”
This film was created by PLANE—SITE and Spirit of Space in collaboration with ArchDaily and Hunter Douglas. You can view our ongoing coverage of the event, here.
SOM Exhibits 30 Structural Skeleton Models Showing Evolution of Tall Building Design
When it comes to tall building design, it's often the structural system where the most groundbreaking innovations are made. Premiering this week in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Biennial is a new exhibition highlighting the innovative structural systems of an architecture firm that has completed their fair share of tall buildings: SOM.
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