Archinect - News

New kid on the block: SOMA's mixed-use Bobo in Beirut begins foundation work

2014-12-10T14:09:00-05:00

The distinctive BOBO building by New York-based SOMA Architects will be the new kid on the block in Beirut's Mar Mikhael district. The design SOMA came up with for the residential building, which recently began foundation work, consists of a steel exoskeleton tied to a concrete core that will cantilever over an existing house that is located at the end of a row of structures dating back to the 1920s.

BOBO's developer, Zardman, was not allowed to demolish the house's façade. To work around this condition, the house was gutted and excavated six floors underground. Once built, BOBO will have a total of 11 stories, 13 residences (including a penthouse duplex), and retail on ground level.

More images in the gallery below.

Workshop Kitchen + Bar by SOMA - Best Designed Restaurant in the Americas

2013-11-08T21:26:00-05:00

When it comes to dining out, it's no question that the architecture and interior design matter just as much as the food you're eating. As a fun Friday project, we're featuring the Workshop Kitchen + Bar by SOMA in Palm Springs, CA. The project recently won Best Designed Restaurant for the Americas region in the international 2013 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards we covered back in September.

Previously: Winners of the 2013 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards

Quadratic super-plaza Foundry Square near completion

2013-09-03T15:32:00-04:00

The Foundry Square, a four-part mixed-use complex in San Francisco's South of Market (SoMa) district, is currently in its final phase with the construction of Foundry III, which developer Tishman Speyer purchased in 2012. The target LEED Gold building will have 265,000 square feet of office space and 10,000 square feet for retail. Foundry III will be San Francisco's first new ground-up office building since pre-recession in 2007.

STUDIOS Architecture and SWA Group began designing the quadratic complex for the City of San Francisco/Wilson Equity Office over a decade ago--with the buildings numbered out of sequence as they were constructed one by one. The client's goal for the complex was to create an "active people-place" while providing ample office and retail space. Current tenants in the square include Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, BlackRock Inc., and Gymboree headquarters.

As its name states, each 10-story low-rise structure of the 1.25 million sq.foot complex o...

ONE OCEAN, soma’s Thematic Pavilion for the 2012 EXPO Opens in Yeosu, Korea

2012-05-10T14:44:00-04:00

The Thematic Pavilion “ONE OCEAN“ for the 2012 EXPO in Yeosu, South Korea [...] is scheduled to open later this week, May 12. The pavilion, a permanent building and one of the major facilities for the Yeosu EXPO, was designed by Austrian firm soma who won the international competition for the assignment back in 2009. The pavilion's exhibitions will give the visitors overview and introduction to the EXPO’s theme, The Living Ocean and Coast.

Previously in the Archinect News: Construction Photos of soma’s Thematic Yeosu EXPO Pavilion (includes a video animation of the bionic kinetic facade).

Construction Photos of soma’s Thematic Yeosu EXPO Pavilion

2012-03-09T19:54:00-05:00

Austrian firm soma is updating us on the latest construction status of their “One Ocean“ Thematic Pavilion for the EXPO 2012 in Yeosu, South Korea. The pavilion is a major and permanent building for the Expo and is scheduled for official opening on May 12, 2012. [...] The building will house two kinds of exhibitions that will give the visitors an introduction to the EXPO’s theme, The living Ocean and Coast.