an attempt to uncover the truth about September 11th 2001

M.I.T., Rotch Visual Collections

2.4 THE ARCHITECT AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:
SKIDMORE, 0WlNGS AND MERRILL

A professional partnership may have as many philosophies as there are partners, but the commitment to the firm may influence the partner's outlook on the profession. Bruce Graham, General Partner in charge of Design for Sixty State Street, has had the strongest philosophical influence on the project. Graham is concerned both with the design process and its product. He believes the process must be a continuous team effort, and must include aggressive people who participate in a learning experience. The product of this process ought to be projects responsive to the community and ones which help the community become a better place to work or live. Graham realizes that the value of this approach is set by SOM's ability to maintain its attractiveness to potential clients. SOM seeks to carry out its projects by establishing a priority system for the utilization of its resources and energies.

SOM considers itself as having no formal organization, but believes the partnership functions somewhat like a trapezoid. A large number of General Partners are responsible for the work of a larger number of Associate Partners, Participating Associates, and employees. Refer to Figure 2.7 for the organization of SOM.

The Chicago Office is organized in "studios": a group of architects and engineers brought together physically and mentally into a team to be responsible for projects from the beginning of the design process through the completion of construction. The team is guided by the Partnership, who assume the roles of: Partner-in-Charge of Design, Structural Engineering, or Mechanical-Electrical Engineering; Project Manager; Project Structural Engineer; Studio Head; Project Mechanical-Electrical Engineer; and Job Captain. The team is supported by staff functions (i.e., Interiors, Planning, Landscape Design, etc.). Refer to Figure 2.8 for a diagrammatic presentation of the studio concept. The studio organization allows decision-making at the lowest possible level and encourages aggressive personnel to take on additional responsibility.

The Partners-in-Charge bear the responsibility for the work of their firm. For Sixty State Street, the Partner-in- Charge of Design is Bruce Graham; the Project Partner is Robert Diamant; the Partner-in-Charge of Structural Engineering is Hal Iyengar. Associate Partners for Sixty State Street include Neil Anderson, Project Manager; Robert Siegle, Studio Head; and Stan Korista, Project Structural Engineer. Participating Associates for Sixty State include Thomas Pado, Job Captain; and Patrick McDonnell, Interior Designer.

Bruce Graham ad Bob Diamant represented SOM at the first meeting with CCF in July, 1972. The two returned to Chicago, formed the nucleus of the design team (including the Structural Partner), assigned the project to a studio, and began work on the preliminary design. The studio produced a scheme within two weeks which met with CCF's approval. This permitted SOM to begin the scope design process, which fast-tracks design to produce a series of construction documents which outline the general nature of the work. Communication was encouraged, and the flow of information was rapid. The Studio Head did not dictate design decisions, but stated the problems to his studio, noted assumptions and restraints, and allowed the studio to seek a solution as a team.

The Project Manager functioned as the communications link between CCF and the studio. Although consultants were employed by CCF and not SOM, the SOM Project Manager was responsible for the coordination of work. The Studio Head, Project Manager, and Job Captain were responsible for manpower assignment, project scheduling, and securing the contributions of SOM staff support. SOM employed two billing procedures for their work on Sixty State Street. From the beginning of the job until a schematic concept was approved by CCF, the firm charged its effort as a multiple of time-spent. Once the concept for the tower was approved, the firm billed its services as a lump sum fee based on the square footage of office space.

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