✕

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill partner and former chairman David M. Childs died on Wednesday, March 26, at his home in Pelham, New York, following a battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 83. Architect of emblematic skyscrapers and complex infrastructure, his projects in New York City include One World Trade Center (2014), 7 World Trade Center (2006), 35 Hudson Yards (2019), One Worldwide Plaza (1989), Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (2001), and Deutsche Bank Center (2004), formerly known as the Time Warner Center.

One World Trade Center towering over the Lower Manhattan skyline. Photo © James Ewing

Childs’ contribution to SOM over close to half a century was extensive and profound. He began his career planning the redevelopment of Pennsylvania Avenue and started the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, working directly for SOM founding partner Nat Owings, in 1971. Childs was a design partner of the firm in Washington, leading the design of many projects including the National Geographic Society headquarters (1981), the Willard Hotel and Office Complex (1986), and the Four Seasons Hotel (1979), until 1984, when he moved to the New York office. He left an indelible mark on that city’s skyline, most notably as architect of record for One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower, at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks that took down the Twin Towers.

1

2

35 Hudson Yards (1) and the Shops at Columbus Circle at the former Time Warner Center (2). Photos © Dave Burk/SOM (1), James Ewing (2)

“The rebuilding of the World Trade Center was a labor of love for thousands of people, and no single individual was more responsible for its success than David,” says Larry A. Silverstein, founder and Chairman, Silverstein Properties, in remembrance of his collaborator. “He pushed from the earliest days for the creation of a master plan and the participation of a wide range of architectural voices. He created a masterpiece in 7 World Trade Center and followed that up with the iconic One World Trade Center. He was a mentor, partner, and a passionate advocate for design excellence, enlightened urban planning, public space art, and sustainability. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live forever.”

Childs’ personal relationship with New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, stemming from his time in Washington, led to a decades-long effort to adapt the Farley Post Office Building into Moynihan Train Hall, which was completed in 2021. He worked across other typologies as well, including civic and government, education, aviation, and urban planning.

International Arrivals Building, Terminal 4, John F. Kennedy International Airport. Photo © Douglas Spranger

A more comprehensive tribute to Childs’ life and work will appear in the May issue of Architectural Record. SOM’s New York studio will host a celebration of his career and his contributions to the firm’s legacy later this spring.