FINAL Press Release        

SOM Invests in GT Digital Project,
Signaling a New Direction for Leading Architecture Firm

New York, December 14, 2006

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), an internationally recognized architecture firm known for its innovation and industry leadership, today announced a significant investment in Digital Project, the parametric Project Lifecycle Management (PLM) software developed by Gehry Technologies (GT).  SOM’s purchase of 100 seats of Digital Project will be deployed over a three-year period in SOM offices around the world, and will complement its advanced digital design process.

SOM will use Digital Project on a wide variety of design projects throughout its offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. Commenting on the acquisition, Darren Rizza, SOM’s Firmwide Director of Digital Design, stated, “Digital Project will provide us with a powerful design technology, augmenting our overall vision of the digital design process, and maintaining SOM’s position as an industry leader and innovator in design and construction.”

To complement the software acquisition, Gehry Technologies will provide consulting services and support to SOM for an initial period of three years.  This will include services for training, implementation, and advanced modeling.  “We are delighted to have been selected by SOM to provide advanced software and support services to their design teams,” commented Dr. Dennis Shelden, CTO of Gehry Technologies, “SOM has long been a leader in the use of CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM), and this acquisition will enable them to remain at the forefront for many years to come.”

Digital Project is advanced BIM software developed by GT with CATIA as its core engine. It is a customized version for use by all members of the building design team - including architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers, contractors and fabricators.  CATIA is developed by Dassault Systèmes and is the leading design software utilized in the aerospace and automotive industries.  

"Digital Project exemplifies the new high end of BIM software being adopted by the most advanced design offices," stated noted industry strategist, consultant, and long-time BIM process advocate, Jerry Laiserin, editor of The LaiserinLetter(tm).  "Until recently BIM implementations mainly focused on using 3D models to improve drawing production, but the real promise of BIM lies in its application across the entire project team, especially in the area of improved building performance." Laiserin adds, "It's gratifying to see SOM taking this visionary leadership position."


About SOM:  Founded in 1936, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP has undertaken more than 10,000 architecture, engineering, interior design, urban design, and planning projects in more than 50 countries. Throughout its history, SOM has been recognized with more than 800 awards for quality and innovation, 125 of which have been received in the past 10 years. In 1996 SOM received the American Institute of Architects’ Firm Award, recognizing the distinguished design work of the firm as a whole.  As the first winner of this award when it was established in 1961, SOM is the only firm to have received this prestigious honor twice. The firm currently has offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, London, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

For additional information on SOM, please contact:
Elizabeth Kubany
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
+1-212-298-9516
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About GT: Gehry Technologies was established in 2002 by the research and development team of Gehry Partners. Gehry Technologies is a privately-funded company whose mission is to drive process improvement in the building industry through technology. GT achieves this global vision through:

•    Alliances with building industry practitioners and professional organizations to promote changes in industry practice.
•    Consulting, professional services and training to provide clients and partners with advanced design technologies and work methods.
•    Software product development initiatives with software industry leaders.
•    Research and academic initiatives with major academic institutions.

For additional information on GT, please contact:
Malcolm Davies
Gehry Technologies
+1-310-862-1200
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