David Childs, the lauded SOM architect perhaps best known for realizing One World Trade Center, died on March 26 in Pelham, New York, surrounded by family. News of his passing was confirmed by his wife, Annie, and later reported by The New York Times. Childs was 83 years old. SOM shared a remembrance for Childs, saying that he was instrumental in some of SOMs most impactful projects, among these a masterplan for the National Mall, the expansion of Dulles International Airport, and both One World Trade Center and 7 World Trade Center in New York City.Davids contribution to the firm was extensive and profound, SOM continued, and we will always be grateful to David for his leadership, his impact, and his friendship. We will miss him dearly and extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to his family.One World Trade Center, the Freedom Tower, at dusk (James Ewing)Childs was born in 1941 in Princeton, New Jersey, and spent his childhood in Mount Kisco, New York. His father was a classics professor at Princeton University and his mother was executive director of the Childrens Books Council, a nonprofit trade association of childrens books publishers. Childs earned his masters of architecture at Yale University in 1967; he moved to Washington, D.C. shortly after to help transform Pennsylvania Avenue into a ceremonial boulevard, as part of a presidential commission. It was in Washington, D.C. where Childs, then in his early thirties, met politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Nathaniel A. Owings, founding partner of SOM. In 1971, after getting acquainted, Owings personally invited Childs to start SOMs Washington, D.C. office, where the late architect spent his fledgling career.In 1976, Childs debuted a masterplan for the Washington Mall and Constitution Gardens. Later, he designed the headquarters building for National Geographic; the U.S. News and World Report building; the Four Seasons, Regent, and Park Hyatt hotels, and more, including the expansion of Dulles Airports main terminal.Washington Mall masterplan (Courtesy SOM)Childs stayed in Washington, D.C. until 1984, when he became a senior design partner at SOMs New York City office. There, he completed Worldwide Plaza, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the JFK International Arrivals Building, Bear Stearns (now J. P. Morgan) Headquarters, the Riverside South masterplan, and Time Warner Headquarters at Columbus Circle (now Deutsche Bank Center). He also helped renovate and preserve Lever House.After 9/11, Childs partnered with Larry Silverstein to help rebuild Lower Manhattan. His clashes with Daniel Libeskind often made headline news. Childs was sued in 2004 by Thomas Shine, who claimed Childs had copied his graduate student work at Yale for SOMs One World Trade Center design. Childs denied the accusation, and the suit was settled in 2006. Childs went on to oversee projects all over the world. His work on the Moynihan Train Hall marked a full circle, as Senator Daniel Moynihan, the halls namesake, was a mentor.JFK International Airport, Terminal 4 (Jeff Goldberg/ESTO)In New York and overseas, Childs held important titles. He was chairman of the National Planning Commission, on the American Academy in Rome board of trustees, Municipal Art Society of New York board of directors, MoMAs Architecture & Design Committee, The Architectural League of New York board of directors, and the New York City Partnership Economic Development & Housing Committees.Today, Childs is remembered for his self-effacing charm: I know a lot of what Ive designed is not A work, he once said, but my role was different. I wanted to raise the level of everyday development as much as I could.