# Adrian Smith (architect)

Adrian Devaun Smith (born August 19, 1944) is an American architect. He designed the world's tallest structure, Burj Khalifa, as well as the building projected to surpass it, the Jeddah Tower. A long-time principal of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, he founded his own architectural partnership firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture in Chicago in 2006. Among his other projects, he was the senior architect for Central Park Tower in New York City, Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, and Zifeng Tower in Nanjing.

## Early life and education

Adrian Smith was born in Chicago in 1944. When he was four years old, his family moved to Southern California, where he grew up. His interest in drawing led his mother to suggest that he study architecture.
Smith attended Texas A&M University, pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture while being involved with the Corps of Cadets. However, he did not graduate and instead started working for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) in 1967. He finished his education at the University of Illinois, Chicago College of Architecture and Arts, graduating in 1969. In 2013, Smith was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree from Texas A&M University.

## Career

Smith spent many years at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Chicago, beginning in 1967 and was a Design Partner from 1980 to 2003 and a Consulting Design Partner from 2003 to 2006. In 2006, he founded Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), which is dedicated to the design of high-performance, energy-efficient and sustainable architecture on an international scale. In 2008, he co-founded the MEP firm of PositivEnergy Practice (PEP), which specializes in the environmental engineering of high-performance, energy-efficient architecture design.

## Contributions to architecture

The petal shape of Burj Khalifa was a major architectural contribution by Smith. The shape of Burj Khalifa was inspired by the Spider Lily flower. The three petal shape re-configures as the building height increases. The change in pattern along the height does not allow flow pattern to organize. This confuses the wind and saves the building from the effect of vortex shedding. Smith was also credited to introduce the first large-scale commercial passive double-wall structure in the United States located at 601 Congress Street in Boston in 2006.

## Recognition

Projects Smith designed have won over 125 awards including 5 international awards, 9 National American Institute of Architects Awards, 35 State and Chicago AIA Awards, and 3 Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence. He was the recipient of the CTBUH 2011 Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award. Smith's work at SOM has been featured in museums in the United States, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He is a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council.

## Selected projects

The following is an abridged list of work Smith was primarily responsible for as a partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill: or as Design Partner at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

### Completed

| Building | Year | City | Country | Firm |
| Central Park Tower | 2021 | New York City | United States | AS+GG |
| Expo 2017 | 2017 | Astana | Kazakhstan | AS+GG |
| Waldorf Astoria Beijing | 2014 | Beijing | China | AS+GG |
| FKI Tower | 2013 | Seoul | Korea | AS+GG |
| Chicago Central Area Decarbonization Plan | 2011 | Chicago | United States | AS+GG |
| Pearl River Tower | 2011 | Guangzhou | China | SOM |
| Burj Khalifa | 2010 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | SOM |
| Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago) | 2009 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| Broadgate Tower | 2009 | London | United Kingdom | SOM |
| Chemsunny Plaza | 2008 | Beijing | China | SOM |
| Jubilee Park Pavilion | 2004 | London | United Kingdom | SOM |
| Tower Palace III | 2004 | Seoul | Korea | SOM |
| Canary Wharf, International banking headquarters buildings: HQ1, DS1, DS3, DS4; FC2 | 1991–2004 | London | United Kingdom | SOM |
| 601 Congress Street, Manulife Financial | 2003 | Boston | United States | SOM |
| General Motors Renaissance Center | 2003 | Detroit | United States | SOM |
| Millennium Park and Millennium Park Master Plan | 2002 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| Sede do BankBoston | 2002 | São Paulo | Brazil | SOM |
| Washington University Arts and Sciences Building | 2000 | St. Louis | United States | SOM |
| Jin Mao Tower | 1998 | Shanghai | China | SOM |
| Washington University Psychology Building | 1996 | St. Louis | United States | SOM |
| Summer of New Hope – Warren Blvd Project | 1996 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| Aramco Headquarters Office Building | 1993 | Dhahran | Saudi Arabia | SOM |
| 10 Ludgate Place | 1992 | London | United Kingdom | SOM |
| AT&T Corporate Center (currently Franklin Center) | 1991 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| NBC Tower | 1989 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| Rowes Wharf | 1988 | Boston | United States | SOM |
| Olympia Centre | 1986 | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| United Gulf Bank Building | 1986 | Manama | Bahrain | SOM |
| Banco de Occidente | 1980 | Guatemala City | Guatemala | SOM |

### Currently under construction

| Project | Type | City | Country | Status | Completion Date | Firm |
| Wuhan Greenland Center | Supertall | Wuhan | China | Construction | 2022 | AS+GG |
| Chengdu Greenland Tower | Supertall | Chengdu | China | Construction | 2022 | AS+GG |
| Jeddah Tower | Megatall | Jeddah | Saudi Arabia | On-Hold | TBA | AS+GG |
| 830 Brickell | Office/ Retail | Miami | United States | Construction | 2022 | AS+GG |

### Significant unbuilt projects

| Building | City | Country | Firm |
| Masdar Headquarters | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | AS+GG |
| 1 Dubai | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | AS+GG |
| 7 South Dearborn | Chicago | United States | SOM |
| King Abdullah City | King Abdullah City | Saudi Arabia | SOM |
| Mitsui Headquarters Competition | Tokyo | Japan | SOM |
| Samsung Togok | Seoul | Korea | SOM |
| Xiamen Posts and Telecommunications Building | Xiamen | China | SOM |

## Monographs

* Smith, Adrian, The Architecture of Adrian Smith, SOM: Toward a Sustainable Future, Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd, ISBN 1-86470-169-2
* Smith, Adrian, Pro Architect 24: Adrian D Smith, Archiworld Company Ltd, ISBN 89-87223-24-8