Michel Abboud (born December 21, 1977) is an architect and artist based in New York. He is the founding principal of SOMA Architects, an architectural firm established in 2004 in New York City. Abboud has won the AIA Gold Medal and the James Beard award in 2015, and is a two-time winner of the Architizer A+ award.
In 2010, Abboud was awarded the Park51 Islamic Cultural Center project, which was heavily attacked by right-wing commentators who dubbed it the "Ground Zero Mosque". One journalist called him 'the most controversial architect the US has known'. The project was ultimately shelved in favor of 45 Park Place, a 665-foot condominium tower also designed by Abboud.World Trade Center Mosque and Community Center Design Unveiled Park51 Soma Architects Rendering - Gallery Page 3 – Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture,...On paper, N.Y. Islamic center looks secular - US news - Life - Faith | NBC NewsThe Architect of the Ground Zero ‘Mosque’ is a Lebanese Christian | The New York Observer
Projects
45 Park Place Located in Tribeca, New York City, the tower’s design is characterized by an "inside-out" process which changes the neighborhood's traditional loft into a vertical modern glass structure, and re-uses the full-floor units, including lofted ceilings, and an in-unit elevator. It has full-height glass windows which provide unobstructed, 360-degree views of the city.
CALYPSO CALYPSO is situated entirely in the sea along the coast of Jounieh Bay in North Lebanon. With only a lateral connection to land, the residential structure is able to withstand continuous wave impacts with heights of up to without incurring breakage. The structure's unique glass envelope is the first ever to be designed as wave-proof. The design received a World Architecture Design Award in 2019.
Unilux Hailed as a “marvel of both contemporary design and ingenious problem solving", the Beirut-based showroom project was commissioned by Unilux Group. Given the challenge of working with a space that was mostly underground. Abboud used the showroom's basement space to showcase lighting fixtures housed in individual niche-like wall displays from floor to ceiling. On the upper floor, Abboud used digital modeling software and a parametric design script to create an array of 1000 cubes, positioning them to create the impression of a rippling dynamic floor, walls and ceiling. The continuous, non-linear surfaces allow the ground floor space to appear larger than its originally shallow confines, while the interaction of light on the reflective cubes metaphorically reinforces the showroom's function as a provider of light.
WAVE Due to its location on the corner of Beirut's Ashrafieh Mar Mitr quarter, the WAVE residential site faced a series of challenges due to sun exposure, solar overheating and privacy concerns. To mitigate these problems, Abboud and his team created a type of “second skin” for the structure, which acts as a screening mechanism by utilizing a horizontal louvered system. The structure's interactive parametric design allows the depth of the louvers to be controlled by an interior program based on the level of shading and privacy required. The louver becomes thinner with the need for less privacy or more sunlight, or deeper when more privacy or shading is desired. The effect of these dynamic, parametrically generated mechanisms gives the building exterior the appearance of having organic waves. The design for WAVE, also nicknamed “The W Residences” won Abboud an Architizer A+ award in 2017.
One at Palm Jumeirah Abboud broke records in the Middle East for his design of the most expensive structure ever to be built in Dubai.
Other selected projects +Building/ProjectLocationDateAmchit Bay ResortLebanon2013The Carlton HotelBeirut, Lebanon2008WaveBeirut, Lebanon2010Nikki Beach ResortDammour, Lebanon2012BoboBeirut, Lebanon2011The GateBeirut, Lebanon2011CastorBeirut, Lebanon2011Batrun Annex I & IIBatroun, Lebanon2005Workshop Kitchen + BarWorkshop Kitchen & Bar, Palm Springs | We Heart; Lifestyle & Design Magazine Los Angeles, CA, US2019Tartinery New York, NY, US 2009YazuzuWashington, DC, US2006NayaIDine® - Naya - Reviews, Hours, Menu, Map - New York, New York 10022 New York, NY, US 2007AuraUrban Lab Global Cities Post • Aura Erbil Animation | SOMA Architects AuraErbil, Kurdistan 201150 LispenardNew York, NY, US201293 Crosby Lofts93 Crosby Street Unit 5 Manhattan NY | Douglas EllimanNew York, NY, US2006GeminiDubai, UAEKing Road MallJeddah, Saudi Arabia2007One at DIFCDubai, UAE2016Dubai Creek HarborDubai, UAE20187 Times SquareNew York, NY, US Shaza Hotel DohaDoha, Qatar2013Langham Place DubaiDubai, UAE2013MayasemJeddah, Saudi Arabia2018MarassiMarassi, Egypt2018Beverly Hills private residenceBeverly Hills, California2019Veli Athiri private resortQatar2018
Awards and recognition +OrganizationAward or RecognitionProjectDateArchitizer A+ AwardWAVE2017Architizer A+ AwardUnilux2016James Beard FoundationRestaurant Design AwardWorkshop Kitchen + Bar2015Middle East ArchitectShortlist - Principal of the Year Award2015Dwell MagazineTop 10 Best-Designed Restaurants in America Alt URLWorkshop Kitchen + Bar2015BisnowTop 10 Cutting-Edge Architects2015International Property AwardsBest Mixed Use Architecture in ArabiaAura2012International Property AwardsBest Mixed Use Architecture in IraqAura2012International Property AwardsHighly Commended Architecture Multiple Residence Nikki Beach2012Restaurant and Bar Design AwardsCategory WinnerWorkshop Kitchen + Bar2014IAIR AwardsBest Company for Leadership, Architectural Design2014REAL Estate AwardsFinest Specialized ProjectAmchit Bay2014World Interior News AwardsShortlist - Best Design AwardUnilux2015World Interior News AwardsShortlist - Best Design AwardWorkshop Kitchen + Bar2013APRWorld Architecture & Design AwardCALYPSO2019
References