Interiors – SOM

SOM Renews Rondo 1 in Warsaw

Ayesha Kapila — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:44:08 +0000

Construction is set to begin this month on the renewal of the lobby at Rondo 1, reimaging the heart of one of Warsaw’s most significant commercial tall buildings. The project marks the next chapter in the evolution of a building that has shaped the city’s skyline for two decades.
Designed by SOM and completed in 2006, Rondo 1 was originally conceived to offer a new work environment adaptable to a wide range of ways of working, contribute to a more liveable urban experience, and represent Warsaw’s place within a global democratic society. Its composition—defined by detached vertical transportation cores, multi-story atria, and a triple-height atrium at ground level—expresses clarity, efficiency, and civic presence. Nearly 20 years later, SOM has been commissioned to renew the building’s 5975-square-meter ground-floor lobby. The design transforms the space into a contemporary “living room” for the building: a flexible, open environment that supports focused work, informal meetings, and social exchange throughout the day.
“It is rewarding to return to the project at this exciting moment as it repositions itself within the Warsaw skyline and commercial market,” said Partner Kent Jackson. “We have renewed the public-facing areas, shaping spaces that support how people work, meet, and connect every day. The upgraded common areas bring in natural light and greenery, prioritizing the wellbeing of all users and visitors—setting a new benchmark for the workplace experience in the city.” The renewal introduces a cohesive sequence of amenity spaces from arrival onward with indoor planting and greenery to enhance occupant wellbeing. A new coffee kiosk introduces activity and vitality, providing a welcoming experience for tenants and visitors alike.
While the tower’s architectural framework and material language remain intact, the lobby interiors are refreshed. Bespoke joinery and finishes are designed for durability, with carefully selected materials and furniture reinforcing the building’s timeless elegance. Overhead, a series of sculptural, backlit ceiling lanterns animate the expansive volume, adding light and visual depth. The renewal also encompasses other shared areas, including Level 37 at the top of the building, the lift sky lobbies, and the ground-floor common spaces of the adjoining retail building. Rondo 1’s Winter Garden is also refreshed, designed as a distinct yet complementary space to the lobby.
Overall, the project reinforces Rondo 1’s legacy as a landmark of Warsaw’s commercial and urban life. By integrating the building’s iconic architecture with contemporary workplace principles—connectivity, adaptability, and wellbeing—the renewal demonstrates SOM’s enduring commitment to shaping environments that enhance both the city and the people who inhabit it.

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Xiong’an Sinochem Headquarters

Admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:55:19 +0000

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Palm Jebel Ali Friday Mosque

Admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:45:34 +0000

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The Gateway – Dubai Creek Harbour Metro Station

Admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:24:55 +0000

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JPMorganChase Trading Floors Featured in Dezeen

Julia.Pollak@som.com — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:27:17 +0000

What does the future of trading look like in Midtown Manhattan? Dezeen recently featured SOM’s design for the trading floors at 270 Park Avenue, JPMorganChase’s new global headquarters.
Located just above the tower’s lobby, eight interconnected floors support 4,000 traders across 500,000 square feet. The floors are organized into two-story suites, arranged around double-height atria, forming distinct trading neighborhoods. These spaces blend shared amenities with flexible spaces for focused work, small huddles, and large meetings.
Designed to maximize daylight and views, the floor plates are enhanced by natural materials, circadian lighting, live plants, and custom sit-stand desks. Together, these elements create a healthy, comfortable workplace—one that supports both precision and collaboration and sets a new standard for the modern trading floor.

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Kashyap Bhimjiani

Admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:56:29 +0000

Kashyap Bhimjiani is a Design Principal and Airports Practice Leader based in the New York studio. As the co-lead for the firmwide Airports practice, he is responsible for shaping and expanding SOM’s aviation portfolio across both domestic and international markets.
Kashyap brings more than two decades of experience in the planning and design of aviation projects of all scales—from master planning and terminal design to complex, large-scale airport developments. Throughout his career, he has worked with a wide range of clients including airport authorities, P3 developers, design-build consortiums, and airlines. He is known for aligning client goals with innovative, efficient solutions while emphasizing experiential quality in design. His approach to aviation design focuses on people, place and performance—ensuring airports are designed for all users, proudly represent the local culture and community, and thoughtfully balance beauty and practicality.

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JPMorganChase Headquarters Trading Floors

Admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:28:58 +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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LG Corporation Headquarters Wins IIDA Best of Asia Pacific Design Award

Julia.Pollak@som.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:33:41 +0000

Nearly four decades after designing the LG Corporation Headquarters in Seoul, we returned to this legacy project alongside Junglim Architecture for a 21st-century renovation of the building’s plaza and base—a revitalization effort that won IIDA’s Best of Asia Pacific Design Award in the public space and commercial lobby category.
Originally completed in 1986, the LG Corporation Headquarters was the first large-scale, modern workplace in South Korea and a forerunner for future office developments in Seoul. Returning to such a legacy project presented a unique challenge: how to honor the original design while reimagining the architecture to meet today’s needs.

With the scope limited to the building’s base and plaza, the design focused on creating a spacious, functional environment that enhances employee experience, while also stewarding the project’s legacy as a landmark for the surrounding Yeouido community. At the heart, the design introduces a striking new opening and sculptural staircase that links the first and lower floors together, offering inviting spaces for gathering. The campus refresh also includes new paving, plantings, fountains, and rock gardens outside the main entrance, transforming the plaza into a vibrant and welcoming public space. See the winners below.

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