In Memoriam: David M. Childs, FAIA (1941–2025)

The architectural community and beyond mourn the passing of David M. Childs, FAIA, whose visionary leadership and design legacy quite literally shaped the New York City skyline. A former chairman at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Childs passed away on March 26, 2025, leaving behind a remarkable body of work that spans over five decades. From transformative civic spaces to some of the most iconic structures in New York City and around the world, his influence was both profound and far-reaching.

As we reflect on Childs’ legacy, we celebrate not only his spectacular design contributions to the built environment and to SOM’s evolution, but also his indelible impact on New York City and its people. His vision will endure and inspire the City’s built environment for generations to come. Read more about Childs’ legacy through SOM, Wallpaper, The New York Times, and many other media outlets that covered his passing. Below we’ve gathered several tributes from members of our community.

From Laura Ettelman, FAIA, Partner, SOM:

He had such a profound impact on our lives. We’ve had a lot of towering figures in SOM’s history, but few have had the kind of impact that David had. He was a visionary and cared deeply for the people he worked with and designed for, and that compassion came through in everything that he did. He saved our firm in the economic downturn of the 1990s, developed new areas of practice, and heralded an urbanistic design approach that persists across all our work today.

From Craig Hartman, FAIA, Senior Consulting Design Partner, SOM:

The early 1990s were very tough, but out of that, SOM became so much stronger. Previously, each office operated like an individual fiefdom, linked by annual partner meetings and finances. This siloed attitude was antithetical to David’s way of thinking about architecture, cities, and SOM’s organization. A new generation of partners and David’s leadership transformed the firm into a borderless, collaborative entity, committed to a united design ethos.

From Elizabeth Kubany, Principal, Kubany:

David certainly worked for developers during his career and he was often called a ‘commercial’ architect, but that is a misreading of his work. David was, first and foremost, a citizen architect. He understood that his work would have an impact on millions of lives, and he always managed to make his clients happy, while also making sure that his work—with both grand gestures and with small moves—made cities better for the people who inhabited them.

From Ken Lewis, AIA, Partner, SOM:

He was incredible at bringing everyone together to reach consensus on the larger direction of the design and the smallest details. He brought such a calm demeanor to the table. He had a kind word for everyone. No matter what anyone’s role was, he treated them equally and listened to what they had to say. I think that was a major reason why he was able to do such large and complex projects with success.

From Steve Ross, Founder, Related Companies:

David’s genius and ability to bridge the gap between architects and developers made a positive and lasting impact on the cities where he worked. However, his greatest influence was on the people with whom he collaborated. He was one of the best individuals I have ever met—passionate, with a unique perspective that enabled him to consistently find creative solutions. His efforts brought projects to life and greatly improved the communities he touched.

If you’d like to contribute further remarks, please send them to membership@aiany.org and we will add them to this page as soon as possible.