The SOM Foundation has appointed Scott Duncan (Chair), Chris Cooper (Vice-chair), Doug Voigt (Secretary), and Vram Malek (Treasurer) as its new officers. Scott Duncan was previously a Co-chair of the SOM Foundation and Vram Malek was the Assistant Treasurer. They began their appointment on October 1.
Scott Duncan Chair
Scott Duncan is a design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)’s Chicago studio, where he leads the design of a diverse range of projects around the world. His work spans typologies, including high-rises, mixed-use developments, cultural institutions, aviation, and manufacturing facilities, among others. A global expert on tall buildings, Duncan serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council on Vertical Urbanism and leads flagship studios at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) for the first multidisciplinary advanced degree program focused specifically on high-rise buildings.
Chris Cooper Vice-chair
Chris Cooper is a design partner in SOM's New York studio. Whether designing a light fixture or an urban master plan, Chris prioritizes the efficient use of resources to create an architecture of purity and strength, focused foremost on the human experience. The result is a portfolio of rigorous, purposeful, and elegant projects that range from the first commercial office building to achieve LEED-C/S Gold certification to the redevelopment of the US Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center. As the founding partner of SOM’s Climate Action Group, Cooper works to elevate standards for sustainable design and be an advocate within and beyond the profession, including at COP 27. In addition to serving the SOM Foundation, he is a board member of the National Building Museum.
Doug Voigt Secretary
As the leader of SOM’s global urban design and planning studio, Doug Voigt balances conceptual thinking with a realistic, hands-on approach to creating spaces and cities. Through his leadership as Urban Planning and Design Partner, he is interested in the capacity of design to build community and connect people to one another. Voigt’s work is distinguished by a passionate appreciation for each project’s unique challenges and the need for a comprehensive and innovative response. Over the last two decades, he has been able to unite disparate stakeholders under a cohesive vision, transforming abstract ideas into physical realities. Voigt has brought his expertise to large scale, complex and neighborhood projects for public and private sectors for decades, from the Detroit East Riverfront Framework Plan to the Wild Mile in Chicago. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Chicago Central Area Committee and a Board Member of Openlands.
Vram Malik Treasurer
Vram Malek leads some of SOM’s most complex projects in New York City and around the world as a Managing Partner. As a leader of the firm’s growing practice in the Asia-Pacific region, he has led significant projects in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. His global approach is rooted in trust and collaboration—building long-term partnerships that enable transformative projects in diverse international contexts. His work is guided by a careful analysis of urban context and deep cultural sensitivity, ensuring projects that enhance their settings and amplify local values. Vram’s work ranges from mixed-use projects and commercial supertall towers to rail stations, civic and government buildings, and residences.
The SOM Foundation would like to thank the outgoing officers for their long-term commitment and exceptional service to the foundation: Leo Chow (Co-chair), Laura Ettelman (Treasurer), and Kent Jackson (Secretary).