Mark Sarkisian, Structural and Seismic Engineering Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Mark incorporates innovative engineering solutions into each project, creating structures that achieve design excellence through integrated collaboration. Sarkisian is the structural and seismic engineering partner in SOM’s San Francisco office. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, where he is a Fellow of the Academy of Distinguished Engineers. He holds a Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University, and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Clarkson University.

Sarkisian’s career has focused on developing innovative structural engineering solutions for projects. He has designed more than 100 major building projects around the world including: the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the NBC Tower in Chicago, The Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, and the Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait.

Sarkisian holds eight U.S. patents for high-performance seismic structural mechanisms designed to protect buildings in areas of high seismicity and the design of environmentally responsible structural systems. He is licensed to practice civil and structural engineering in 20 states and has written a book titled Designing Tall Buildings: Structure As Architecture. It is available through Routledge/Taylor & Francis Books.

Sarkisian currently teaches an integrated studio class that is focused on the collaborative opportunities in design. It includes students from University of California, Berkeley, California College of Arts, Stanford University, Cal Poly, and Northeastern. He frequently lectures on the creative integration of structural engineering and architecture within the United States and abroad.

In 2014, Sarkisian received the prestigious Fazlur Rahman Khan Life-Cycle Civil Engineering Medal. The honor was bestowed upon him by the International Association for Life-Cycle Civil Engineering (IALCCE) in recognition of his contributions to the design of environmentally responsible structural systems.