CHICAGO, Nov. 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Adrian Smith, FAIA, RIBA, and
Gordon Gill, AIA announce the formation of their new design practice Adrian
Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The firm will focus on the design of high
performance and sustainable architecture on an international scale, intending
to be a leader in the development of new strategies for environmentally
conscious buildings.
Smith, a former Design Partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and
Gill, a former Associate Partner at SOM, have extensive international
experience in the creation of mixed-use projects and supertall towers. Their
recent collaboration while at SOM, a zero energy tower in Guangzhou, China,
demonstrates the designers’ commitment to sustainability. The project aims
to be the world’s first supertall tower that produces as much energy as it
consumes. It is currently featured in the exhibitions "Sustainable
Architecture in Chicago" and "Massive Change" both at the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Smith and Gill emphasize that while the firm is dedicated to design
quality and energy efficiency, they are not committed to a single aesthetic.
Smith and Gill said, "Our philosophy is based on a holistic approach to
design that integrates all disciplines. Because the process is predicated on
creating high-performance designs, it always results in a unique
architectural expression."
Combined, Smith and Gill have over 50 years of design experience. While
at SOM, Smith designed such projects as Burj Dubai, slated to be the world’s
tallest tower; Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai; McGraw Hill, Bank of America,
Morgan Stanley European Headquarters and 201 Broadgate Tower in London; Rowes
Wharf in Boston; United Gulf Bank in Manama; ATT/USG Headquarters, the
Millennium Park Master Plan and Trump Tower Chicago, all in Chicago; and 601
Congress Street in Boston, the first all-double wall LEED(R) certified
building in the country. Projects under his direction have won 90 awards for
design excellence.
In addition to 10 years of experience at SOM, Gill has previously worked
for design firms in Orlando, Detroit and Toronto. As a senior designer at
SOM, his work included Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou; Nanjing Greenland
Tower; Samsumg Togok Tower in Seoul; the Jesse Brown Medical Center in
Chicago; and the Virginia Beach Convention Center, the recipient of an AIA
Chicago Distinguished Building Award.
