Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), San Francisco, CA (Partnership)

click to open gallery Aerial view of the Norton Building, Seattle, c. 2017; from Google Maps/Street View
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Partners: network

Edward Charles Bassett, Andrew Belschner, Olof Hans Dahlstrand, Lawrence S. Doane, Craig Hartman, Paffard Keatinge-Clay, Edward Dale McCrary, John Ogden Merrill, Nathaniel Alexander Owings, Charles O. Perry, Jacob Robbins, Alan Scott Robinson, Chalfant David Robinson, John Barney Rodgers, Louis Skidmore Sr., William Joseph Watson, John M. Woodbridge

Active 1947-

Firm Notes

The Chicago-based architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill opened its San Francisco office in 1947, in order to work on two large design and planning commissions it obtained from the US Navy, the US Naval Station, Subic Bay, The Philippines, and the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. (See 20th-Century Architecure.org, "Skidmore, Owings and Merrill," accessed 02/16/2024.)

SOM also obtained work on a $4.5 addition ot Mount Zion Hospital (with San Francisco architect Milton Pflueger) that opened in 11/1950. (See Michela Robbins, "Mt. Zion Open House on New Addition," Jewish News of Northern California, vol. 102, no. 44, 11/03/1950, p. 1 and 3.)

Edward Charles "Chuck" Bassett (1921-1999) was Managing Partner of the San Francisco Office of SOM, from 1955-1981.

Between 1948 and 1953, at least, SOM San Francisco had its office at 1 Montgomery Street. (See Polk's San Francisco City Directory, 1948-1949, p. 2114 and Polk's San Francisco City Directory, 1953, p. 2132.)

PCAD id: 97

map

Buildings and other works

NameDateCityState
1 Bush Plaza Office Building, San Francisco, CA1959San FranciscoCA
1000 Louisiana Street Office Building, Houston, TX1979-1983HoustonTX
345 California Center, San Francisco, CA1986San FranciscoCA
350 Mission Street Office Building, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
505 Montgomery Street Office Building, Financial District, San Francisco, CA1987-1988San FranciscoCA
595 Market Street Office Building, South of Market, San Francisco, CA1978-1979San FranciscoCA
ABI Tower, Century City, Los Angeles, CA1971Los AngelesCA
Aluminum Corporation of America, Incorporated, (Alcoa), Office Building, Financial District, San Francisco, CA1964San FranciscoCA
American Trust Company, Office Building, San Francisco, CA1959-1960San FranciscoCA
Australian Mutual Provident Society Office Building, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMelbourneVictoria
Bank of America, World Headquarters Building, 555 California Street, San Francisco, CA1967-1969San FranciscoCA
Bechtel Building, 50 Beale Street, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
Blue Cross Blue Shield Offices, Oakland, CAOaklandCA
California First Bank Building, San Francisco, CA1977-1979San FranciscoCA
Centennial Towers, South San Francisco, CASouth San FranciscoCA
City of Columbus, City Hall, Columbus, IN1981ColumbusIN
County of Alameda, Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA1964-1966OaklandCA
County of Alameda, Coliseum, Oakland, CA1964-1966OaklandCA
Crocker Center, Crocker Bank Tower, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
Crocker Center, Galleria, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
Crown Zellerbach Corporation, Office Building #2, San Francisco, CA1957-1959San FranciscoCA
Episcopal Diocese of California, Saint Aidan's Church #2, Diamond Heights, San Francisco, CA1962-1963San FranciscoCA
First International Plaza, Houston, TXHoustonTX
Great Western Financial Corporation, Great Western Savings and Loan, Branch, Gardena, CA
Greyhound Corporation, 1111 8th Street Bus Maintenance Facility, San Francisco, CA1951San FranciscoCA
Hancock, John, Mutual Life Insurance Company, Office Building, San Francisco, CA1960San FranciscoCA
Hartford Building, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
Hyatt Corporation, Hyatt on Union Square, San Francisco, CA1972San FranciscoCA
Kaiser, Raymond, Engineering Building, Downtown, Oakland, CA1984OaklandCA
Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Fullerton Paper Mill, Fullerton, CA 1955-1956FullertonCA
Mauna Kea Hotel, Kaunaoa Bay, HI
Monterey County Planning Commission, Owings Coast Master Plan, Big Sur, CA1961Big SurCA
Mount Zion Hospital #2, San Francisco, CA
Norton, Matthew G., Building #2, Downtown, Seattle, WA1957-1959SeattleWA
Pacific National Bank of Washington, Office Building #2, Downtown, Tacoma, WA1969TacomaWA
Palace Hotel #2, San Francisco, CA1906-1909San FranciscoCA
Qantas Airlines Building, Union Square, San Francisco, CA1972San FranciscoCA
Ranke Building #2, Nordstrom, Incorporated, Department Store #2, Downtown, Seattle, WA1937SeattleWA
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, Cathedral Parish of Christ the Light, Oakland, CA2005-2008OaklandCA
Sacramento Downtown Redevelopment Project, Sacramento, CASacramentoCA
Saint Regis Museum Tower, San Francisco, CA2001-2005San FranciscoCA
San Francisco Municipal Airport, United Airlines Hangar #1, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
San Francisco Municipal Airport, United Airlines Hangar #2, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, Golden Gateway Redevelopment Project, San Francisco, CA1960-1966San FranciscoCA
San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, Davies, Louise M., Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA1977-1980San FranciscoCA
State of California, State Office Building #2, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
Tennessee Gas Transmission Company, Tennesse Building, Downtown, Houston, TX1963HoustonTX
Union Bank, Office Building, 350 California Street, Financial District, San Francisco, CA1977San FranciscoCA
United States Government, Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Moscow, Soviet Union Moscow
United States Government, Department of the Interior, United States Reclamation Service (USRS), Ruck-a-Chucky Bridge Project, Auburn, CA1978AuburnCA
United States Government, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Headquarters #2, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
United States Government, Postal Service (USPS), Main Post Office #1, Downtown, San Jose, CA1892San JoseCA
University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Lawrence, Ernest O., Memorial Hall of Science, SOM Competition Project, Berkeley, CABerkeleyCA
Weyerhaeuser Company, World Headquarters #2, Federal Way, WA1971Federal WayWA

Publications

Canty, Donald, "Evaluation of an Open Office Landscape: Weyerhaeuser Co.", AIA Journal, 66: 8, 40-45, 7/1977. "Columbia Lighting Incorporated Advertisement, 1977", AIA Journal, 66: 11, 26-27, 10/1977. American Architects Directory 1962, second edition: 38, 1962. "1972 Honor Awards", American Institute of Architects (AIA) Journal, 57: 31-40, 05/1972. Montgomery, Roger, "A building that makes its own landscape", Architectural Forum, 136: 2, 20-27, 03/1972. "Anshen and Allen Win Closed Competition", Architectural Record, 133: 2, 12-13, 02/1963. "Sacramento Commercial Area Ready for Bids", Architectural Record, 133: 3, 32-3 - 32-3, 03/1963. "Trio of research pavilions in the wood: Weyerhaeuser Center: architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill", Architecture, 74: 5, 298-301,378, 05/1985. Crosbie, Michael J., "Urban anchor: San Jose Museum of Art addition, San Jose, California: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill/San Francisco, Robinson, Mills & Williams", Architecture, 80: 9, 54-57, 1991-09. "Study of American architecture 6: special features - SOM", Architecture + Urbanism (A + U), 4: 37, 01/1974. "Study of American architecture 6: special features - SOM", Architecture + Urbanism (A + U), 4: 37, 01/1974. "1985 AIA Honor Awards", Architecture California, 7: 5, 14-16, 1985-09/10. Woodbridge, Sally B., Woodbridge, John B., Architecture San Francisco: The Guide, 4, 1982. Woodbridge, Sally B., Woodbridge, John B., Architecture San Francisco: The Guide, 4, 1982. Woodbridge, Sally B., Woodbridge, John B., Architecture San Francisco: The Guide, 4, 1982. Joedicke, Jurgen, Architecture Since 1945: Sources and Directions, 140, 1969. Robinson, Cervin, Herschman, Joel, Architecture Transformed, 150, 1987. "Commissions", Architecture/West, 71: 1, 9, 1965-01. "Nye arbejder af S.O.M ", Arkitekten, 69: 15, 321-335, 1967. Walton, John, "The Land of Big Sur: Conservation on the California Coast", California History, 85: 1, 44-64, 2007. "Configurations in a landscape : a gestalt of dovetailing talents makes an extraordinary environment for Weyerhaeuser headquarters in Tacoma", Contract Interiors, 131: 8, 76-91, 03/1972. Seidler, Harry, Grand Tour, 523, 2003. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, Guide to Architecture in San Francisco and Northern California, 310, 1985. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, Guide to Architecture in San Francisco and Northern California, 65, 1985. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, Guide to Architecture in San Francisco and Northern California, 68, 1985. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, Guide to Architecture in San Francisco and Northern California, 68, 1985. Gebhard, David, Montgomery, Robert, "53. California First Bank Building", Guide to Architecture in San Francisco and Northern California, 71, 1985. Woodbridge, Sally, Montgomery, Roger, Guide to Architecture in Washington State, 131, 1980. Woodbridge, Sally B., Montgomery, Roger, Guide to Architecture in Washington State An Environmental Perspective, 260, 1980. Fox, Stephen, Houston Architectural Guide, Second Edition: 11-12, 1999. Fox, Stephen, Houston Architectural Guide, 29, 1990. "Wide open spaces : a flexible landscape system magnifies the impact of site and architecture in this splendid headquarters for Weyerhaeuser", Industrial Design, 19: 2, 38-43, 03/1972. Bednar, Michael J., Interior Pedestrian Places, 40-42; 68, 1989. Robbins, Michela, "Mt. Zion Open House on New Addition", Jewish News of Northern California, 102: 44, 1, 3, 1950-11-03. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, Los Angeles An Architectural Guide, 203, 1994. Hua, Thao, "Edward C Bassett; architect designed many S.F. skyscrapers", Los Angeles Times, A32, 09/03/1999. "The Bank of America, San Francisco, California", Marble Architectural Awards USA 1985, 27-28, front cover, 1985. Branch, John, "For the Warriors, a Move Means the End of Something", New York Times, 1-2, 2019-05-12. Norton Building., 1960. "Weyerhaeuser Corporate Headquarters, Tacoma, Washington, 1972", Process Architecture, 85, 44-49,145, 10/1989. "Pennsylvania Avenue Plan Forges Ahead", Progressive Architecture, 46: 7, 61-62, 07/1965. "Paper Mill", Progressive Architecture, 38: 7, 141-145, 156, 1957-07. Temko, Allen, "Resplendent Palace Hotel Opens", San Francisco Chronicle, 4/3/1991. "Weyerhaeuser sale of unit wrapped up", Seattle Times, E1, 08/05/2008. Pryne, Eric, "Federal Way campaign invites tenants to come on down!", Seattle Times, E1-E2, 08/30/2008. Schweisheimer, W., "Die besten Gebäude aus Stahl - Preisverteilung des 'American Iron and Steel Institute'", Stahlbau, 38: 8, 253-255, 1969-08. "Seattle's Sophisticated Tower", Western Architect and Engineer, 219: 5, 21-28, 05/1960. "Hancock Building San Francisco", Western Architect and Engineer, 04/1960. "Prize Photograph of A & E's New Headquarters", Western Architect and Engineer, 221: 2, 4, 02/1961.
Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD) — © 2005-Alan Michelson

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