.	Advisory Group, Member (1999-present) Working Group, Structural Design of Steel Bldgs, Co-Chair (1999-2001) San Francisco, USA Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP .

Mark Sarkisian leads Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP’s San Francisco-based Structural Engineering Studio – an award winning group that collaborates with the firm’s other disciplines to create innovative and integrated structural solutions.  His diverse portfolio includes commercial, laboratory, medical, historic, transportation, residential/hotel, and educational facilities, as well as mixed-use skyscrapers.

Scientific research, particularly in the area of seismic design, informs Mr. Sarkisian’s approach.  He has published more than 100 papers examining seismic behavior, tall building design, and innovative uses of materials in structures.  Over his 25 year-long career, he has received over 50 awards for innovation in structural engineering.

Mark has directed the structural design for such large-scale projects as the 500,000 sf U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the 8.6 million sf Beijing Finance Street development. One of his signature projects – the 421-meter Jin Mao Tower – is one of the ten tallest buildings in the world and a fixture on the Shanghai skyline. The 412-meter Al Hamra Tower, Kuwait, is one of the world’s tallest and incorporates innovative hyperbolic paraboloid concrete walls into its structural system.

Recently completed is the St. Regis Hotel and Residences in Downtown San Francisco. The structural system of the 42-story, mixed-use building employs the latest developments in reinforced concrete analysis and design, which dramatically decreased the installation time and materials cost. This improved ratio of cost-to-structural system is one of Mark’s primary design goals. Until recently, the tower was the tallest reinforced concrete building in California.

Mark holds four U.S. Patents for high performance seismic structural mechanisms designed to protect buildings in areas of high seismicity and has additional patents pending for seismic and environmentally responsible structural systems. He is licensed to practice civil/structural engineering in 15 states and has recently written a book entitled “Designing Tall Buildings – Structure as Architecture.” Mark currently teaches an Integrated Studio class that includes students from UC Berkeley, CCA, Stanford University and Cal Poly, which is focused on the collaborative opportunities in design.

He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut and Master of Science from Lehigh University. 



His published books and research papers in the field of Tall Buildings include:

BOSWELL, C. K., LONG, E., MATHIAS, N. & SARKISIAN, M. (2010). Jinmao Tower - The Design Integration of Structural Efficiency, Architectural Expression and High Performance Exterior Wall Systems. Presented  at the Munich Tall Building Conference 2010. Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, San Francisco, CA, USA.

DOO C. S., LONG, E., SARKISIAN, M. & SHOOK, D. (2009). Optimization Tools for the Design of Structures. Presented at 2009 SEAOC Convention. Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, San Francisco, CA, USA.

LEE, P., LONG, E., MATHIAS, N. & SARKISIAN, M. (2009). New Frontiers in the Design of Integrated Exterior Wall Systems. Presented at ASCESEI 2009. Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, San Francisco, CA, USA.