Chicago, Illinois, USA, May 26th, 2026, FinanceWire
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) recently showcased its Re-SPLAM (Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber) Pavilion at the 2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial, which concluded in February 2026, presenting a new model for circular construction driven by computational design and material reuse. Developed as part of SOM’s ongoing research into sustainable building systems, the project also highlights the growing role of computational designers within the firm’s interdisciplinary design practice, including Yuan Jiansong.
Presented at Millennium Park, the installation demonstrated how reclaimed timber sourced from demolished residential buildings across Chicago can be transformed into a high-performance structural system. Serving as a full-scale prototype, the pavilion proposes a scalable, low-carbon alternative to conventional construction by preserving the carbon stored in existing materials while reducing demand for new resources.
Designed and engineered by SOM, the project builds on the firm’s broader exploration of sustainable timber systems, material efficiency, and digitally driven fabrication methodologies. By assembling salvaged two-by-four wood elements into a three-dimensional canopy, the structure achieves performance comparable to reinforced concrete at approximately one-fifth the weight. Each timber component was measured, cataloged, and computationally optimized to determine its precise placement, minimizing waste while accommodating variations in geometry and structural capacity.
Yuan Jiansong, a designer at SOM specializing in computational design methodologies, helped develop the pavilion’s parametric modeling and digital optimization workflows, which were central to the project’s adaptive reuse strategy. Working with tools including Python and Grasshopper, he developed computational systems capable of analyzing and integrating reclaimed timber components with varying geometries and material conditions into a structurally coordinated assembly. His work advanced material efficiency and fabrication precision while demonstrating how data-driven design methodologies can expand the practical applications of circular construction within contemporary architectural practice.
Developed in collaboration with academic and industry partners, the pavilion serves as a public demonstration of emerging design approaches that bridge architecture, engineering, and data-driven fabrication. Aligned with the Biennial’s theme, “Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change,” the installation highlights how rethinking material lifecycles can unlock new structural and spatial possibilities. The project further reflects SOM’s commitment to integrating computational workflows, sustainable design research, and interdisciplinary collaboration into the future of the built environment.
As the building industry accelerates toward decarbonization, SOM continues to advance design innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration and applied research. The Re-SPLAM Pavilion underscores how computational design and advanced material reuse strategies are reshaping sustainable architectural practice, while also reflecting the increasing role of emerging designers such as Yuan Jiansong in advancing digitally driven approaches to low-carbon construction.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global architecture and design firm based in Chicago, USA. It was founded in 1936 and is renowned for its innovative work in sustainable building design, urban planning, and structural engineering, consistently pushing the boundaries of large-scale architectural achievement.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global architecture and design firm based in Chicago, USA. Founded in 1936, the firm is internationally recognized for its leadership in sustainable building design, urban planning, structural engineering, and large-scale architectural innovation.
Website: https://www.som.com