SOM Wins Beijing CBD Competition

BEIJING, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicago and China offices of Skidmore,
Owings and Merrill (SOM) were named the winner of an international design
competition to expand the Beijing Central Business District (CBD). The
competition was sponsored by the Chaoyang District Government and the Beijing
CBD Administration Committee. Seven teams of the world's leading urban
planners, urban designers and architects were invited to participate. Philip
Enquist, FAIA, Partner-in-Charge of Urban Design and Planning for SOM led this
effort.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091023/CG98156-a)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091023/CG98156-b)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091023/CG98156-c)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091023/CG98156-d)

The SOM plan calls for the establishment of three new districts anchored by
signature parks and green boulevards. New modes of public transportation are
proposed, including express commuter rail service between the Beijing Capital
International Airport, the CBD, and high speed rail service at Beijing South
Station. A new streetcar system is proposed to conveniently link all areas of
the CBD. A network of small, walkable blocks is proposed to establish a
pedestrian-friendly scale for development and every street would be bicycle
friendly.

The SOM plan defines new strategies for building municipal infrastructure and
high performance buildings. Implementation of the plan could reduce energy
consumption within the district by 50%, reduce water consumption by 48%,
reduce landfill waste by 80%, and result in a 50% reduction in carbon
emissions. Reduction in emissions from office buildings alone would equate to
a reduction of 215,000 tons of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of
planting 14 million adult trees.

SOM's vision for the Beijing CBD provides the framework that will enable
China's capital city to grow as a global center for commerce, yet be a green
and ecological setting for healthy life.

ABOUT SOM
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, urban
planning, interior design, and engineering firms in the world, with a 75-year
reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the
most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of
specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which
have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the
physical environment. The firm's longstanding leadership in design and
building technology has been honored with more than 1,300 awards for quality,
innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has
recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award - in
1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in Chicago, New York, San
Francisco, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Brussels. For
more information, please visit www.som.com.

SOURCE SOM

Amy Hawkinson of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, +1-312-360-4309,
amy.hawkinson@som.com