The SOM Foundation supports individuals with the highest aspirations to enhance the design of the built environment.
2026 Structural Engineering Fellowship
Critical Connectors: Regenerating Structures and Community Through Short-span Bridges
Lili Boenigk
Double living root bridge in East Khasi, India, 2011. CC BY 2.0 Arshiya Urveeja Bose.
2025 Research Prize
Visioning Eco-Connectivity with Youth in the Rio Grande Valley
Maggie Hansen
Miriam Solis
Cyclists enjoy the bike trail at Estrero Grande State Park, one regional precedent for our work. © Maggie Hansen.
Ali Fard
2025 Research Prize
Through the Cloud: Remapping Mobility in the Technical Landscapes of Northern Virginia
Development timeline along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. © Ali Fard.
2025 European Research Prize
Coastal Register: Disrupting the Corridor: Water/Ground Mobilities Across the Adriatic
Water stories. © Simonetta Armondi.
Simonetta Armondi
Agim Kërçuku
2025 Robert L. Wesley Award
Jenae Edwards
“Siren City.” © Jenae Edwards.
2025 Robert L. Wesley Award
Israel Jimenez
Braced Communal Platform. © Israel Jimenez.
2025 Robert L. Wesley Award
Nekelle Thomas
Examine the Existing. © Nekelle Thomas.
2025 China Fellowship
Rising Tides, Resilient Lives: Reimagining Vulnerable Communities in the River Deltas of Kampung Melayu, Jakarta
Hao Chang
Reclaiming the Negative Space. © Hao Chang.
2025 China Fellowship
Reconstructing the Power Order of the “Human-Water Relationship” Along China’s Grand Canal
Lu Ming
Axonometric drawing of the inner part of the city wall in the waterfront area. © Lu Ming.
2025 China Fellowship
Four Dimensions of Water Security: Availability, Accessibility, Resilience, and Sustainability
Zhang Nan
Scene of the transformation of the space under the viaduct in the Discover Eco-corridors project. © Zhang Nan.
2025 Researcher-in-Residence
A Permeable Atlas
Pablo Castillo Luna
A Tent for Lovers, A Garden for Pollinators, 2022. © Pablo Castillo Luna.
Supporting Lafayette International High School Students Interested in Architecture
Gordon Bunshaft. © SOM.
Robert L. Wesley (1937–2026)
Robert L. Wesley, Chicago, 1996. © SOM.
Call for Applications
Research Prize Applications Open in September 2026
European Research Prize Applications Open in September 2026
Robert L. Wesley Award Applications Open in September 2026
2019 Research Prize
Montserrat Bonvehi Rosich
Seth Denizen
David Moreno Mateos
Harvard University
Graduate School of Design
© Seth Denizen.
Past
Block by Block: Decoding New American Dreams of Housing
Organized by De Peter Yi, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Cincinnati DAAP and director of Rebuild Collective, Block by Block is an exhibition that explores the design potential of accessory dwelling units, upzoning, lot splitting, single stair exits, and mass timber construction in housing. Read
Recent News
SOM Foundation Announces Winner of 2026 Structural Engineering Fellowship
The SOM Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the 2026 Structural Engineering Fellowship. Lili Boenigk, a graduate student in the Building Technology program in the Department of Architecture at MIT, will receive $20,000 to conduct original research related to her proposal, “Critical Connectors: Regenerating Structures and Community Through Short-span Bridges.” During her fellowship, Lili Boenigk will document understudied bridge-building practices, emphasizing the role of collective participation and culture in infrastructure siting, design, and maintenance.
SOM Foundation Launches Search for Executive Director
In collaboration with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide strategic and visionary leadership and will be responsible for advancing the mission of the SOM Foundation. The Executive Director will set priorities to advance and amplify the impact of its core awards program, operations, and long-term financial security.
SOM Foundation Archive Opens
Established in 2026, the SOM Foundation Archive is a collection and research initiative located within the SOM Chicago office. The SOM Foundation Archive makes the records of the Foundation accessible to researchers interested in the work supported by the SOM Foundation since its founding in 1979.