Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

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Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Practice Information
Name Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Key architects Adrian Smith
Gordon Gill
Robert Forest
Principal office in Chicago
Founded November 1, 2006
Work
Significant Buildings
Significant Projects Masdar City Headquarters

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture is an architecture firm and design firm based in Chicago. AS+GG was founded in Chicago in 2006, by Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill, and Robert Forest when they left the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP (SOM).[1] Taking their experience on large, mixed-use projects[2], Smith, Gill and Forest have decided to focus on design of high-performance, energy-efficient and sustainable architecture on an international scale.[3]

Adrian Smith's departure from SOM has been widely reported.[1][4][5] And Mr. Smith has several projects still under construction that were designed while at SOM including: Burj Dubai, Dubai, Broadgate Tower, London, England and Trump International Hotel and Tower, Chicago, and with Gordon Gill and Robert Forest: Nanjing Greenland Financial Center, Nanjing, China. Gordon, while at SOM, designed the award winning Virginia Beach Convention Center[6][7], Virginia Beach, Virginia. He also designed the Pearl River Tower,Guangzhou, China with Robert also working on the project[8].

According to the AS+GG website, they are working on several projects. One of these in Chicago is located at Franklin Point, four blocks south of the Sears Tower and reportedly 3,500,000 square feet (325,000 m²) at an estimated cost of $1.6 billion[9].

Though the start up of their firm appears to have had some rough moments (Smith had to pay $250K of salaries out of his own pocket to cover one rough spot)[10], they have been commissioned for at least one ground-breaking building. Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture has been chosen over SOM, Norman Foster, Atkins, and Helmut Jahn[11] to design and build the Headquarters of Masdar City, a zero energy, zero carbon, zero waste city in the United Arab Emirates[12].

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) has grown substantially since its inception in Novemeber 2006 with only 7 employees. At the end of one year the firm employed 35. And as of April 2008 there are over 70 employees at AS+GG.[13]

[edit] Current projects

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Architect Magazine: Adrian Smith Leaves SOM, Longtime Skidmore partner bucks retirement to start new firm.
  2. ^ Smith, Adrian (2007). The Architecture of Adrian Smith, SOM: Toward a Sustainable Future. Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-86470-169-2. 
  3. ^ Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecure: site description.
  4. ^ Chicago Magazine: A New Order.
  5. ^ PR Newswire: Designer of World's Tallest Tower Forms New Architecture Firm.
  6. ^ AIA Chicago: 2006 Citation of Merit.
  7. ^ Architecture Record and Business Week: 2007 Citation for Excellence Award.
  8. ^ Smith, Elizabeth (September 9, 2006 - January 7, 2007), Sustainable Architecture in Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, <http://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/exh_detail.php?id=52&syear=2006> 
  9. ^ Crain's Chicago Business: Mega-plan for vacant site in South Loop.
  10. ^ Chicago Tribune: Sweet new start for architect Adrian Smith.
  11. ^ Chicago Tribune: Green light for Chicago design.
  12. ^ Middle East Business Intelligence, United Arab Emirates: Masdar appoints US firm for headquarters.
  13. ^ Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecure: official website.

[edit] External links