Nicholas Holt

A firm believer in the benefits of collaborative practice models, Nicholas Holt approaches design by integrating building systems, sustainable design principles, and extensive construction knowledge from the conceptual development of a project through construction documentation and execution.

Directing the technical architecture team in SOM’s New York office, Holt oversees the detailed development and documentation for all of the New York office’s projects. Since joining SOM in 1995, he has developed extensive experience working on high-rise and supertall commercial and mixed-use towers, financial trading facilities, health science projects, and residential and hotel towers. With experience on numerous overseas projects, he has developed an acute understanding of working collaboratively with local owners, fabricators, and stakeholders to leverage regional conditions to meet international quality and performance standards.

Holt is an industry leader in the practical application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the associated implementation of new project delivery models aimed at developing projects more efficiently and effectively. Recent examples are 250 West 55th Street and the Mount Sinai Center for Science and Medicine, which were among the first major projects in New York City to be designed and documented in a 100-percent BIM environment.

A proponent of evidence-based design development, Holt leads a group of digital design specialists focused on advanced computational models that analyze the impact of design decisions at key points in the design process. Leveraging advanced digital tools both within SOM and in collaboration with industry partners allows the team to optimize sustainability, performance, and constructability.

Holt also leads the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), a research collaboration between SOM and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. With a focus on developing new sustainable materials and technologies, CASE blends private sector practicality, academic exploration, and scientific rigor to seek emergent technologies and develop them for practical application in buildings.

In 2013 Holt served as a steering committee member and working group co-chair on Mayor Bloomberg’s Building Resiliency Task Force, a team of experts convened in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and charged with making proposals to improve building resiliency and maximize preparedness for future extreme weather events in New York