Louis Skidmore, FAIA

Year Awarded: 1957
Born: Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA
Died: 1962; Chicago,Illinois,USA


Projects
• 1958: Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• 1947: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, an Atomic Energy Commission town
• 1933: World’s Fair in Chicago: Century of Progress Exposition


Biography
Louis Skidmore studied at Bradley University in Illinois before serving in England during the World War I. After the war, he attended the School of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1924. He worked in Boston for Charles Maginnis; then in 1926, he won the Rotch Traveling Scholarship and traveled to Europe for three years, including one year studying at the American Academy in Rome.

From 1929 to 1933, Skidmore collaborated with Nathaniel Owings to plan and design the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. It was on this project that he gained much of his training in organization and management skills. This teaming of Skidmore and Owings led in early 1936 to the formation of their partnership, which eventually became one of the largest and most prestigious American architecture firms of the 20th century. In 1937 they opened another office in New York; when the engineer John Merrill joined them in 1939, the firm became known as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, or SOM. Skidmore’s reputation lay in his strong organizational ability, leading SOM to critical success into the mid-20th century.

SOM’s first large commission was at Oak Ridge, Tenn., an Atomic Energy Commission town. Following that project, SOM grew rapidly and by the early 1960s was one of the world’s largest firms. The firm became well known for its many tall office buildings. It is also recognized for the Air Force Academy campus at Colorado Springs, Colo., and especially the Academy’s chapel. Though criticized by many in the beginning, the chapel is one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions.

Part of SOM’s reputation rests on its management style, emphasizing both personal achievement and team work. They also helped to introduce and excelled in the International style that became popular following the war.