Hospitality – SOM

SOM Reveals Landmark Towers for Kazakhstan’s Alatau City

Ayesha Kapila — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:57:24 +0000

The Alatau Iconic Complex and Gateway District is designed to support long-term growth and opportunity in the Almaty region through a resilient, site-specific, and transit-oriented approach.
Positioned within the new city of Alatau—a flagship project for Kazakhstan set to become a Central Asian international hub—the SOM-designed Iconic Complex and Gateway District will serve as the city’s economic and administrative nucleus.
Located along the Almaty-Qonaev highway, a key section of the Western Europe-Western China transport corridor, Alatau is planned to span 88,000 hectares across four districts. Strategically positioned to enhance regional connectivity, economic development, and innovation, the new city will link Almaty with Central Asia and beyond.
At the centre of this vision, SOM’s Iconic Complex forms a 276,800-square-meter vertical district defined by a pair of gateway towers. Integrating office, residential, hospitality, retail, and cultural programmes, the development establishes a dense, mixed-use urban core for the emerging city. Inspired by the surrounding Trans-Ili Alatau—a 350-kilometre range of valleys, glaciers, and stratified terrain—the design translates these local natural formations into architecture, creating a unique identity rooted in the Kazakh landscape.
Rising 272 meters, the primary tower will accommodate office space and premium residences, becoming the tallest structure in the Almaty region and southern Kazakhstan upon completion. An adjacent 80-metre tower with a luxury hotel and branded residences reinforces the district’s mixed-use intensity. Both buildings feature high-performance façades and integrated shading strategies to reduce solar gain, while central atria draw natural light deep into the floorplates and frame panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
At the base, a three-level podium of 58,000 square meters anchors the complex. Echoing the local foothills of the Alatau, it terraces toward the public realm, accommodating retail, cultural venues, and event spaces while fostering active pedestrian engagement.
The project draws on SOM’s global expertise in designing landmark tall buildings—including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, One World Trade Center in New York, and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai— towers that redefine skylines while advancing structural and environmental innovation. This experience informs both the design and engineering of the Iconic Complex, ensuring it becomes a defining symbol of Alatau City.
The region’s high seismic conditions drive the project’s integrated architectural and structural design. Structural resilience is embedded in the architecture, with seismically resilient framing and damping systems—proven in high-seismic regions such as Japan and Taiwan—that dissipate earthquake energy and ensure long-term safety and post-disaster functionality.
The surrounding Gateway District leverages SOM’s international planning expertise, prioritizing walkability, density, and multimodal transportation. Planned express rail and Light Rail Transit (LRT) corridors position the district as a regional transit hub, while green boulevards, shaded streets, and public plazas foster a human-scaled urban experience. The project also integrates advanced micromobility infrastructure, including provisions for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, alongside pedestrian and transit networks, to ensure the city is connected at every scale.
The project is led by the Alatau City Development Group LLP alongside long-term investors and government partners supporting Alatau as a strategic national initiative. Once complete, the Iconic Complex and Gateway District will form a vertically integrated, mobility-oriented, and culturally attuned urban heart of Alatau, setting a new benchmark for city-making in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global practice of architects, designers, engineers, and planners, responsible for some of the world’s most technically and environmentally advanced buildings and significant public spaces. The firm’s approach is highly collaborative, and its interdisciplinary team is engaged in a wide range of international projects, with creative studios based across the globe. The firm’s portfolio includes numerous innovative landmark towers, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, One World Trade Center in New York, and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, as well as large-scale urban planning initiatives that integrate density, mobility, and sustainability—including the award-winning Sultan Haitham City in Muscat, Oman, and the recently unveiled masterplan for Bradfield City, Australia’s first new city in more than a century.

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Waldorf Astoria New York Wins Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award

Julia.Pollak@som.com — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:17:18 +0000

How do you honor the 90-year history and cultural legacy of a New York City icon while planning its next chapter?
At the Waldorf Astoria New York, we approached this question through a comprehensive transformation, a methodical work of preservation, and a meticulous restoration. The interplay between all three approaches informed thousands of decisions over the course of design and construction.
While 96 percent of the building was converted from a 1,400-room hotel into a 372-unit luxury residence and a 375-key hotel, the remaining 62,000 square feet—encompassing the iconic lobbies, corridors, ballroom, and event spaces—was carefully restored in collaboration with Higgins Quasebarth & Partners and Building Conservation Associates to recapture the hotel’s original 1931 splendor.
The result is a rejuvenation: the Waldorf Astoria New York serves a new role in the city, while remaining true to its history as one of the finest examples of Art Deco design. This work has been recognized with a Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the highest honors for outstanding preservation excellence in New York City.

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Frank Mahan to Present on Waldorf Astoria New York

Julia.Pollak@som.com — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:09:59 +0000

For a decade, our Adaptive Reuse team has worked to bring the Waldorf Astoria New York back to a state of grandeur and position it for modern-day use. The project combines careful preservation with meticulous restoration, resulting in thousands of design and construction decisions—many of which we’ll unpack next week.
Join us on February 12 in New York for an in-person conversation, The Waldorf Astoria New York—A Legacy Reimagined, at the Museum of the City of New York. Principal Frank Mahan will present a lecture in addition to joining a panel discussion alongside Ray Pepi of Building Conservation Associates, with Justin Davidson of New York Magazine moderating. Together, they’ll examine the architectural approach behind the project, the realities of working within a landmarked structure, and how the Waldorf’s cultural significance informed the work at every stage.

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Dennis Ho

Admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:33:08 +0000

Dennis Ho drives strategic business development in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, cultivating client relationships and promoting SOM’s expertise in design, engineering, sustainability, and planning. His project work encompasses a wide range of scales and sectors, from urban master plans, transit-oriented developments, and research campuses to hotels, commercial buildings, and residential projects. Throughout his career, he has brought this comprehensive expertise to countries across APAC including Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam—developing extensive knowledge of the diverse cultures that comprise the region.
An adjunct professor of architecture and urban design at the City University of Hong Kong, Dennis teaches students how human-centric and regenerative design can create a positive impact culturally, socially, economically, and environmentally. This mindset guides his approach to his work, as well as his leadership as Chair of the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Hong Kong Chapter, where he prioritizes education and collaboration among more than 1,000 members.

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The Springs District

Admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:32:19 +0000

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Six Projects and Products Recognized in Best of Year Awards

Julia.Pollak@som.com — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:21:22 +0000

Our approach to interior design draws on the resources of our multidisciplinary firm, taking a holistic approach that anticipates changes in the way we live and work. Spanning scales from a single light fixture to the transformation of an entire hotel, seven of our projects and products—two winners and five finalists—were recognized by Interior Design magazine’s Best of Year Awards, a program that celebrates the most innovative work shaping what’s happening now and next in design.
Alongside collaborators Pierre-Yves Rochon (hotel interiors) and Jean-Louis Denoit (residential interiors), we won best hotel transformation for our preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse work at the Waldorf Astoria New York (above)—which recaptures its original splendor inside and out, revitalizes its public spaces, and transforms its upper floors into a boutique hotel and luxury residences. Three of our headquarters designs were recognized, including winner WeBank Headquarters, which reimagines the financial workplace as a wellness-driven, highly flexible environment for China’s first digital-only bank, located in Shenzhen, China.
Our work with Gensler on the Robert A. Iger Building—The Walt Disney Company’s New York City Headquarters—was also named a finalist, as was 500 County Center, the new San Mateo County headquarters and the nation’s first net-zero-energy civic building constructed with mass timber, for its environmental impact. Beyond our projects, two of our newest furniture and lighting products were named finalists in the Best of Product Awards. Nebula Urban Lighting and Furniture—created in partnership with Neri—offers a modular collection of benches, stools, tables, planters, wastebaskets, bike racks, and street lighting, reflecting our belief that public furniture should quietly elevate everyday urban experiences.
In collaboration with Artemide, Tetras is a modular fixture that conceives of light as an architectural building block, using a minimalist design for efficiency, comfort, and delight.

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530 Sansome

Admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:42:12 +0000

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Forbes Names SOM to Top U.S. Hospitality Architects and Designers List

Jonathan Schifman — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 22:53:14 +0000

Recognizing the essential role of architects in the field of hospitality, Forbes has released its inaugural list of “America’s Top Hospitality Architects & Designers,” and named SOM among the best in the U.S. More than 850 firms were evaluated through eight months of research, from the beauty and functionality of the architecture to building performance, material selection, and industry recognition.
Citing the “importance [in] how these architects and designers, and their choreographed environments, dare us to not lose touch with the joys of community and the gravity of sense of place,” the magazine selected 100 firms for the list.

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SOM Unveils Two Projects at Cityscape Global in Riyadh

Ayesha Kapila — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:52:26 +0000

SOM was proud to participate in Cityscape Global in Riyadh, where two exciting new SOM-designed concepts were unveiled: Retal Heights (pictured) with Retal Urban Development Company and Ajdan Towers with Ajdan Real Estate Development Company.
Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, both projects reflect the Kingdom’s rapid growth in real estate and its rising influence in sustainable, urban development.
Retal Heights—presented at Cityscape through a striking two-meter-tall physical model—is envisioned as a new landmark on Riyadh’s skyline, shaped by the city’s climate, culture, and identity. The development comprises two twin towers: one housing a luxury hotel and branded residences and the other offering private apartments of varying sizes. A shared podium will serve as the social heart of the project, featuring a multifunctional event space and a lush water garden.
Ajdan Towers, also conceived as a dual-tower development, will deliver a dynamic mixed-use destination that combines commercial space, retail, and branded residences.

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Ningbo Center Tower

Admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:43:09 +0000

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