University of Pennsylvania Pennovation Center Philadelphia, PA
The selection of Hanover’s Prest® Brick sizes, colors, and textures allow endless design possibilities. Today, architects are rediscovering the method of paving with small individual units and incorporating it into residential, commercial, and industrial projects Modern municipal and urban areas have only emphasized the original advantages of using pavers.
IN THIS ISSUE , we consider the value and opportunities that research brings to architecture and the design fields.
DEPARTMENTS
The Weitzman School of Design is at the cutting edge of architectural research By Dr. Franca Trubiano 16 DESIGN FOR HEALING
A biophilic-inspired refresh room is a model for integrating neuroscience and architecture By Vasiliki Meletaki, PhD, Mike Avery, MArch, MS, Freddie Moross, Louie Schwartzberg, and Anjan Chatterjee, MD
CONTEXT is published by
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Published JANUARY 2025
Documenting and disseminating architectural research is key to solving ‘wicked problems’ By Dr. Franca Trubiano
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2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Brian Smiley, AIA, CDT, LEED BD+C, President
Danielle DiLeo Kim, AIA, President-Elect
Rob Fleming, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Past President
Robert Shuman, AIA, LEED AP, Treasurer
Fátima Olivieri-Martínez, AIA, Secretary
David Hincher, AIA, LEED BD+C, Director of Sustainability + Preservation
Phil Burkett, AIA, WELL AP, LEED AP NCARB, Director of Firm Culture + Prosperity
Kevin Malawski, AIA, LEED AP, Director of Advocacy
Erick Oskey, AIA, Director of Technology + Innovation
Ximena Valle, AIA, LEED AP, Director of Design
Fauzia Sadiq Garcia, RA, Director of Education
Timothy Kerner, AIA, Director of Professional Development
Michael Johns, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, Director of Equitable Communities
Anne Bigler, Graphic Designer, annebiglerdesign.com
MILTON LAU Senior Associate, Perkins Eastman CONTEXT Editor
DR. FRANCA TRUBIANO, OAQ Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania PhD Graduate Group Chair CONTEXT Editor
EDITORS’ LETTER
WHY RESEARCH?
This winter edition of AIA’s Context Magazine offers an important opportunity to discuss the value of research to the fields of architecture and design. As its own form of practice, research contributes critical thinking, innovation, increased effectiveness, and advances in technology. However, for most practicing architects, its tenets and modalities remain difficult to identify, institute, and valorize. Design and building professionals rarely capitalize on the value generated by research.
Compared to engineering and medicine, for example, the built environment is rarely the subject of comparable federal investments. In his 2016 article, “The Confused and Impoverished State of Architectural Research,” Richard Buday discussed how 12 billion dollars was spent in health research that year, while less than 500 million was spent in construction-based research.1 This imbalance is reflected in the publications available to respective professions. By 2016, while the “database of health profession journal articles had almost 24 million entries…the architectural equivalent…the AIA’s Building Research Information Knowledge Base (BRIK)” had 1,900.2 This cannot be good for business. As reported by McKinsey Global Institute, the manufacturing sector has improved its level of productivity by 100 percent since 1995, while construction productivity has stagnated at 10 percent over the last 30 years. Without significant improvements in how we produce more for less, there can be no true innovation in the industry. And according to social scientist Dan Breznit, without innovation there can be no shared prosperity. For Breznitz, innovation occurs when an invention “is actualized in the economy…when we identify how to produce the invention in a better way…when we are in control of all aspects of the production chain – or supply chain.”
3 If more architects involved themselves in the production and supply chain of buildings, would this increase our chances at real innovation, productivity, and prosperity?
This is the gambit represented by the five research labs featured in “Next Generation: The Weitzman School of Design is at the cutting edge of architectural research,” which describes significant research initiatives in biomaterials, thermal architecture, structural computation, digital fabrication, and environmental design. PhD students and faculty pursue funded research in physical labs in search of nothing less than the transformation of the discipline.
Moreover, as discussed by Dr. Ajla Askamila in “Q&A: Documenting and disseminating architectural research is key to solving ‘wicked problems,’” the best kind of research is that which is shared, a factor most practicing architects have yet to embrace. A growing number of publications by firms have increased participation in this space, but much has yet to be made transparent and available for peer review.
In our UpClose profile, Ryan Welch, director of research at KieranTimberlake, sheds light on how research is incorporated into the firm’s daily practice, at times directly tied to projects and at times separate but parallel to it. The conversation with Welch highlights the importance of resourcefulness and communication in research — his firm’s endeavors involve advocacy and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders including the federal government, academia, commercial product developers, and local community groups.
While in Design for Healing, researchers in the discipline of cognitive science identify a shortfall in the understanding of how a physical environment can positively affect users who seek treatment for drug abuse and the caregivers who provide it. Their project provides a case study on how research outside of architectural practice can provide a clear conceptual framework in the design and construction of spaces that serve as living labs to test the effectiveness of various physical/sensory features. These pieces demonstrate many of the reasons why we have much to gain as a profession in engaging and embracing architectural research.
ENDNOTES
1. Richard Buday, “A Brief History of the Impoverished Culture of Architectural Research (August 02, 2017)” accessed via https://www.archdaily.com/876901/a-brief-history-of-the-impoverished-culture-of-architectural-research 2. Ibid.
3. Accessed via https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/prize-winning-author-says-canada-must-fix-horrific-approach-to-innovation-1.6377569
Dear members and friends of AIA Philadelphia,
As we close out 2024 and look towards the new year, I’m feeling pretty proud of what we’ve achieved as a community. This year had a sense of collective momentum, a feeling of all stepping forward together. For example, we received a record number of projects submitted to be considered for the 2024 Design Award, many from small firms and first-time entrants. On the night of the awards, we were able to shine a light on the diversity of design talent in our city. It was inspiring. Every year, I’m amazed that our industry is even more collaborative, more growth-oriented, and more committed to shaping the future of Philadelphia with innovation and intention.
AIA’s membership continues to grow at the national level and is expected to exceed 100,000 in the coming months. As one of the oldest chapters in the organization, our local membership is mirroring that trend. We’re hearing from you that membership is valuable, and we’re more motivated than ever to continue to increase the value for you. Building community and offering support for the architect and design industry in Philadelphia with world class continuing education, programming, and advocacy is our charge. We strive to be the industry’s best connector and champion — now and in the future.
In October, we celebrated the return of Home Tours, inviting hundreds of design enthusiasts to tour real homes in Philadelphia and hear from the architects who shaped them. Home Tours has quickly grown from an event during the DesignPhiladelphia Festival to a signature weekend for AIA Philadelphia. We have decided to move it to the spring where it can have the space to flourish.
COMMUNITY
In 2025, we aim to deepen engagement for members and allied members via more opportunities for connection and collaboration. We’re launching a new learning management platform — a resource designed to streamline continuing education and give you more tools to thrive professionally. When you succeed, we do too.
We’re also starting to plan for the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026, and our in-coming chapter president is already setting the tone for what AIA Philadelphia’s leadership will look like in this historic year. It will be an opportunity for us to showcase our values to those watching from around the world — to demonstrate that architects are a critical channel towards a future where the built environment is sustainable and equitable for everyone. I am proud of what we stand for and hopeful about where we’re going.
Thank you for being a part of what makes AIA Philadelphia unique. Your participation and impact on the design community is what makes our city the only place I want to be.
With gratitude,
Rebecca Johnson Executive Director, AIA
Philadelphia
COMMUNITY
YOU’RE INVITED
In 2025 we’re offering a robust calendar of events designed to foster connection and collaboration for our members. From panel discussions to architectural tours, we’re proud to curate a wide range of experiences to engage the community. Whether you’re looking to learn something new or simply celebrate the incredible work happening in Philadelphia, there’s something for everyone on our calendar.
One of the best parts? Every event has built-in networking opportunities. You never know — you just might find your next project or colleague over a drink! Get updates on what’s happening around Philadelphia via our newsletter or check out the full calendar at https://aiaphiladelphia.org/events
Clockwise, from above right: Board Induction; Matthew J. Koenig Memorial Golf Tournament; PEA Student Mixer; 2024 Design Awards Celebration
Home Tours Moves to Spring
The value of an architect extends far beyond designing buildings. Architects hold a responsibility to solve problems and shape the built environment into something that is not only functional, but also sustainable and equitable for everyone. Architects inspire. Architects create spaces that serve a purpose. Architects bring more beauty into our world. Architects are visionaries and stewards of our future.
At our annual Home Tours, we shine a spotlight on how architects make a difference in our most intimate spaces: private homes. We invite the public to visit a series of Philadelphia projects that demonstrate the value of using an architect and showcase the very best residential architecture in the Philadelphia region. It’s an opportunity for people to speak directly with the architect and get the inside perspective on how each project came to life. It’s also a chance to peek inside the spaces we’ve been admiring from the curb.
Home Tours has quickly become one of AIA’s favorite events of the year, so we decided to move it out of the DesignPhiladelphia Festival to give it some breathing room. The spring timing also aligns with the natural point in the year when people are taking on new projects or actively searching for a new home — it just felt right.
Mark your calendars for May 17, 2025.
2024 Featured Home: Constructed Cube PHOTO: SAM OBERTER
2024 Featured Multi-family Project: Harrowgate Revival (above); 2024 Featured Home: Rittenhouse gem (below)
UP CLOSE RYAN WELCH
AS KieranTimberlake’s NEW RESEARCH DIRECTOR, RYAN WELCH DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND WORKFLOWS
THAT GUIDE
DATA-DRIVEN DESIGN THINKING BY AMALIA GONSALVES
“My path is a bit circuitous and only in hindsight seems planned out,” says Baltimore native Ryan Welch. That meandering path eventually led him to his current role as Principal and Research Director at KieranTimberlake.
Attending a Quaker high school with one of the few programs offering Russian, Welch was drawn to the language and culture. “My interest in architecture stemmed from a high school trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia, where I first encountered a built environment that was very different from what I was accustomed to.” The experience led him to pursue an internship with Baltimore-based architects Ziger/Snead, a job that he continued through college and beyond while pursuing other academic interests. “The great mentorship of the founding partners really developed my passion for architecture through practice.”
Welch studied Russian and Chemistry at Amherst College: “I have an incredible debt of gratitude to the Amherst faculty, who taught not just subject matter but an approach to physical and quantitative reasoning that can very easily be translated to other disciplines.” His thesis work in spectroscopy, which was published this year, afforded Welch the opportunity to engage in physical prototyping – “actually building experimental apparatus.” It also led Welch to develop novel computational and visualization tools to solve specific analysis problems, an approach he leveraged in his studio work at Yale School of Architecture and later as a Building Performance Specialist when he joined KieranTimberlake’s Research Group in 2011.
In this role, Welch contributed to several building and planning projects, and collaborated with fellow Research Group members on software products such as Roast, a customizable thermal comfort survey tool; and Tally, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) application that enables architects to quantify the environmental impacts of building materials. Currently, Welch serves as co-investigator on a research project funded by ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy), a federal Department of Energy program. In collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania’s Polyhedral Structures Lab at the Stuart Weitzman
School of Design and others, their work is focused on the development of 3D-printed carbon-absorbing high-performance concrete building structures
When asked about how research applies to architectural practice, Welch emphasizes the importance of rigor in problem-solving: “The first point of design is forming a solid understanding of a problem and being able to articulate that problem in a dispassionate form.” His approach involves quantifying certain aspects of design while also addressing more subjective elements through research-based discussions.
KieranTimberlake’s Research Group was established under Welch’s mentor and former Research Director Billie Faircloth. The goal was to bring together individuals with diverse subject matter expertise to work across disciplines and address challenges in the built environment. Group members split their time roughly 50/50 between project-related and proactive research. Their work covers a range of subject areas, including human experience and behavior, materials, building systems, ecology, and climate health. “That was a novel concept in 2011, but today a lot of firms have dedicated research staff. I see this as a really positive development — an acknowledgement that in order to move our industry forward, we have some critical topics that need addressing. Individual firms are often at the vanguard of that challenge.”
Welch cites the development of Tally as a formative experience for the firm both technically and socially. “I think we were the first firm to really beat the drum on the need to investigate embodied carbon. For a long time, the role that building material supply chains and construction play in climate change was undervalued.” By bringing together expertise in architecture, software development, and life cycle assessment, their team sought to “take a niche discipline that was tailor made for large-scale industrial applications and make it accessible and economical for architects to conduct.” At the time of Tally’s release in 2013, there was no incentive or regulatory framework for embodied carbon accounting, so most early adopters were students in architecture, engineering, and environmental science programs. “We found we had a
responsibility to offer educational training series: Now you have this tool, how do you use it? How do you interpret results?” Welch notes two key turning points in LCA adoption: the LEED v4’s credit for lifecycle impact reduction and the surge in carbon-reduction policies across all government levels. In 2021, KieranTimberlake donated Tally to Building Transparency with the aim of transitioning it to a free tool. They are collaborating on development of Tally 2.0. “We started Tally as a piece of advocacy. Our role has now shifted to a knowledge expert providing resources to a nonprofit that will benefit the larger architectural community.”
Locally, KieranTimberlake’s Research Group teamed up with Centennial Parkside CDC, YouthBuild Philly Charter School, and sustainable developer New Ecology to secure funding provided by the U.S Department of Energy’s Building Upgrade Prize for developing energy retrofit initiatives. The Prize focuses on addressing systemic social and technical challenges facing building upgrades in underserved communities: “You need a workforce that is familiar with the newer technologies, and you need to address legiti-
mate concerns about displacement, gentrification, and increased housing prices. This whole program is predicated on addressing those barriers, working closely with those communities to understand their particular concerns, and developing demonstration projects that can serve as catalysts.”
Looking to the future, Welch identifies several areas that need further research, particularly in the realm of supply chain impacts.
“An extension of our life cycle assessment work is understanding the impacts of supply chains, not just in terms of their global environmental impacts, but how they intersect locally or regionally with environmental justice issues and labor exploitation. We’re trying to understand how we can best minimize risk throughout supply chains, from building construction all the way back to raw material extraction and processing. This is a generational challenge, probably a 30-year problem to tackle, but we need to start committing resources to it as an industry.”
AMALIA GONSALVES is a freelance writer, architectural designer, and associate at Perkins Eastman Architects.
Ryan Welch’s inquisitive mind and passion for hands-on solutions led him to his current role at one of Philadelphia’s top firms
NEXT GENERATION
THE WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN IS AT THE CUTTING
EDGE OF ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH
Challenging, innovative, and impactful research is being conducted in new labs in schools of architecture across the United States. This exciting movement, which is poised to transform architectural education, the discipline, and the profession in the years to come, includes five labs at the Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania.
This is not the first-time architectural education has embraced the research model in the pursuit of knowledge. As architectural historian Avigail Sachs reminds us in “The Postwar Legacy of Architectural Research,” the pioneering work of centers and research units at Berkeley and Michigan, and the sponsorship of research by the AIA’s Department of Education and Research resulted from technological advances required of the Second World War.1
This time, the impulse for those dedicating their architectural careers to research is different: The innocence of technological positivism is long gone and the professional, economic prospects of architectural practice no longer self-evident. Architectural education is also due for an upgrade. For more than fifty years in the U.S., graduates have benefitted from access to fully accredited schools whose curricula evidence a preponderance of studio-based courses, supplemented by courses in technology, history/theory, and professional practice. For the most part, this has served the profession well. Licensed architects, knowledgeable in the history of art and strength of materials, design buildings for all uses and programs. However, with drastic changes taking place in the material, digital, environmental, and political conditions of building, might we ask if this pedagogical arrangement helps us reckon with the scale and scope of our contemporary challenges? Does a design-based education predicated on serving market-responsive clients make sense for all architects, particularly for those who wish to address the impending traumas of material and energy depletion, toxic buildings, and the ever-increasing technological demands of the business of building? Not really.
BY DR. FRANCA TRUBIANO
The zeal with which some architects have embraced academic research may be a response to the profession’s need for answers to questions that are difficult to articulate and address in practice. Architects are increasingly graduating with advanced doctoral degrees in architecture, be they in history and theory, in advanced design, or in building technology and engineering. This new cadre of informed research partitioners is reshaping the landscape of architectural knowledge and, in time, the profession’s horizon of critical inquiry. More than ever, schools of architecture are selecting their tenure track faculty from this group of analytically trained scholars who, in teaching young architects, will undoubtedly advance the profile of research within the discipline. Moreover, academic research in the twenty-first century is valorized and made possible by external funding. Faculty members with PhD’s are eager, if not incentivized, to pursue resources from industry partners, governments, and nonprofits to further their work.
The architecture faculty featured in this story are focused on funded research in the physical, digital, and environmental futures of the discipline. These five research labs participate in internationally sponsored research committed to advancing both disciplinary and professional knowledge. With directors, physical infrastructure, a cadre of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, and a wide array of collaborators and funders who support their innovations, each is set to transform architectural education and the way we envision practice for the next generation of architects.
THE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING + DESIGN
Founded and directed by Dr. William Braham (FAIA), the Center for Environmental Building + Design [CEBD] is a faculty research unit and consultancy dedicated to improving the environmental future of buildings and cities. Working in interdisciplinary teams on projects at a range of scales, the CEBD
RESEARCH MAKES AN IMPACT IN THE REAL WORLD
tents for testing the effectiveness of different thermal interventions in
conditions.
Top left: Aerial photograph of six unoccupied ger
Mongolian winter
Top right: Rendered view of the Hydroculus, an evaporative and radiative cooling chimney prototype for desert climates. Bottom: TERRENE from DumoLab Research, Polyhedral Structures Lab and Complex Fluids Lab, UPenn.
undertakes Climate Action Planning for academic and nonprofit institutions; researches building products and components, such as responsive building skins and advances in glass; investigates building performance and design, including energy, daylighting and air flow analysis, and management strategies for large collections of buildings; and conducts urban and regional assessments, identifying land use strategies, resource allocation, and decision making for resilient development. Working alongside graduate research assistants, full-time research associates, and post-docs, the work is shared in consultancy products, journal articles, books, media, education initiatives in degree programs, and through public symposia and workshops. CEBD research is sponsored by PENN’s Carbon and Sustainability Action Plan, UNICEF, the Daiken Open Innovation Lab, the Ramboll Foundation, and the National Science Foundation, among others. design.upenn.edu/cebd/projects
THE THERMAL ARCHITECTURE LAB
Founded and directed by architect and assistant professor Dr. Dorit Aviv, the Thermal Architecture Lab operates at the intersection of thermodynamics, architectural design, and material science. Aviv holds a Ph.D. and M.Arch from Princeton University, and a B.Arch from The Cooper Union. As a licensed architect, she practiced with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, KPF, and Atelier Raimund Abraham. As a researcher, she seeks to achieve synergies between renewable environmental forces, architectural materials, and forms to improve buildings’ energy performance, air quality, and human health.
The Thermal Architecture Lab examines the building’s form and materials as active agents in the transfer of heat between the human body and its environment. Novel cooling technologies and design tools strategies are sought to simultaneously reduce a building’s energy demand and provide thermal shelter from heat stress. In addition to construction and testing of full-scale prototypes, the Lab develops simulation tools inspired by computer graphics techniques to enhance the legibility of energy flows, and full-scale physical prototypes for testing how geometry shapes the transfer of heat in space. It uses contemporary diagnostic technologies such as thermography and 3D scanning, as well as novel sensing devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) for acquiring real-time thermal data. Aviv’s work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the National Park Service, as well as industry collaborations with Microsoft, Ripple, and Armstrong World Industries. In 2024, she received a Ramboll Foundation grant to investigate architectural applications of membrane-assisted radiant cooling. In 2021, she was awarded a Holcim Award for Sustainable Design and Construction for the Hydroculus prototype of passive cooling in a desert climate. thermal-architecture.org
DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE
Left: Additively Manufactured Cladding System at Autonomous Manufacturing Lab. Right: Diamanti at the PSL Labs.
DUMOLAB RESEARCH
Founded and directed by interdisciplinary architect and assistant professor Dr. Laia Mogas-Soldevila, DumoLab Research [DLR] is focused on the deployment of regenerative biomaterials in architecture. Dr. Mogas-Soldevila joined Penn in 2021 following her interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University. With two professional architecture degrees from Spain, and two Masters of Science degrees from MIT (in Design Computation and Mediated Matter), she translates biomaterial systems from engineering, life sciences, and vernacular design, creating everyday products and structures that support human health and regenerative building. DumoLab investigates manufacturing in ambient-conditions, water-based processing, bioremediation with living building materials, and bio-based alternatives. It hosts a team of 15 students in architecture, design, biology, and material science focused on bio-receptive building parts and structures, smart and programmable biomaterials, biodegradable products, distributed environmental sensing, and outreach on environmental literacy.
DumoLab is sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Johnson&Johnson Foundation, The Stephenson Bio-Maker Space, Kleinman Center Sustainable Agriculture Fund, Sachs Program for Arts Innovation, Penn Research Foundation, Penn Environmental Innovation Initiative, and the Penn Global Engagement Fund. The lab’s work has been exhibited at the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons, the ACADIA Conference, the New Lab for Biofabricate, Milan’s Design Week, London’s Design Week Materials Matter, the Athens Opera House during Nostos Festival, the Barcelona Design-HUB, and at CAA for Autodesk Pioneering Biomaterials Symposium. design.upenn.edu/dumolab/about
POLYHEDRAL STRUCTURES
LABORATORY
Founded in 2017 and directed by associate professor Dr. Masoud Akbarzadeh, the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory [PSL], located at Pennovation, is a research unit concentrating on advancing structural geometry, architectural design, and construction technologies. Grounded in Dr. Akbarzadeh’s doctoral research from the Institute of Technology in Architecture at the ETH Zurich, the PSL explores 3D Graphic Statics using Reciprocal Polyhedral Diagrams for the design and construction of efficient structural forms. Based in Willian Rankine’s and James Clerk Maxwell’s structural proposition published in Philosophical Magazine of 1864, this research is manifest in advanced construction and additive manufacturing, material science, architected cellular solids, multi-material 3D printing, numerical methods of form-finding, and multi-scale modeling of materials.
The PSL engages in cross-disciplinary collaborations with mechanical engineering and material science, and with universities such as the Technical University of Darmstadt, Texas A&M, Princeton and McGill. It also benefits from industrial collaborations with Cemex, Sika and Baumit. Dr. Akbarzadeh has garnered significant governmental funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. Most recently, the lab digitally designed and robotically constructed Diamanti, a concrete 3D-printed, post tensioned funicular beam concrete canopy (2025 Venice Biennale) and Tortuca, a multi-layer ultra-thin sheetbased funicular glass bridge (Corning Museum of Glass, 2024). The lab is currently developing carbon-absorbing concrete 3D printed structures in a collaborative effort funded by the ARPA-E HESTIA program of the Department of Energy. psl.design.upenn.edu
THE AUTONOMOUS MANUFACTURING LAB
Founded and directed by assistant professor Robert Stuart-Smith, the Autonomous Manufacturing Lab [AML] explores the integration of robotic manufacturing and construction within architectural design. Seeking to reduce the environmental and economic costs of design and production, the lab’s integrative methods for generative design and manufacturing are developed using semi-autonomous systems, multi-agent systems, AI/machine learning computational approaches, and applications of real-time sensor and computer vision technologies. The AML’s multidisciplinary research includes the highly collaborative funded research projects, “Applied Off-site and On-site Collective Multi-Robot Autonomous Building Manufacturing” and “Aerial Additive Manufacturing” (Aerial AM). Published in Nature, Aereal AM demonstrates the world’s first in-flight additive manufacturing by cooperating drones — a form of collective robotic construction. Stuart-Smith’s research also involves collaborations with industry partners including Cemex, Skanska, Mace, Buro Happold, Arup, MTC, Ultimaker, and Kuka. Stuart-Smith is the program director and founder of the Master of Science in Design: Robotics and Autonomous Systems degree (MSDRAS). He was also a founding partner of Kokkugia, and previously practiced with Grimshaw Architects, Lab Architecture Studio, and Arup’s Advanced Geometry Unit. aml-penn.com
FRANCA TRUBIANO is Graduate Group Chair of the PhD Program in Architecture, Associate Professor at University of Pennsylvania, and a Registered Architect with l’Ordre des Architects du Québec. She is also co-director of Penn’s Mellon-funded Humanities + Urban + Design Initiative.
ENDNOTES
1. Avigail Sachs, “The Postwar Legacy of Architectural Research,” Journal of Architectural Education, Vol. 62, n. 3 (February 2009): 53-64.
The interior of Synthetic Studio’s Refresh Room at Alpas Wellness, a behavioral health facility in Maryland
DESIGN FOR HEALING ALPAS
WELLNESS’ BIOPHILIC REFRESH ROOM IS A MODEL
FOR INTEGRATING NEUROSCIENCE AND ARCHITECTURE
BY VASILIKI MELETAKI, PHD, MIKE AVERY, MARCH, MS, FREDDIE MOROSS, LOUIE SCHWARTZBERG, AND ANJAN CHATTERJEE, MD
Emerging research in neuroscience highlights increasing interest in the impact of space on human behavior — and how to better understand the impact of design on social and individual experiences There is an opportunity for architects to harness this wealth of research to understand and service the needs and desires of diverse users.
Research is often defined by a limited scope which is a challenge to translate meaningfully towards actualizable design strategies. Much of architectural research is focused on connecting research from other fields to an architectural design context. The following case study showcases one means to collect data led by disciplines outside of architecture to learn about human interaction within environments and how different user journeys shape experiences. In this case, an actualized construction demonstrates how the physical environment can influence stress and drug abuse recovery, an area of research that has been underserved.
— Chang-Yeon Cho, RA, LEED AP, co-founder of Synthetic Studio, a data and intelligence consulting firm for the built environment.
Alpas Wellness, located in Maryland, is a new behavioral health facility that offers residential treatment for the complicated combination of substance abuse disorder and mental health problems. Biophilia is the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature. Biophilic design attempts to incorporate elements from nature into the built environment. Biophilic principles inspired the interior design of the facility’s private and shared spaces. The authors collaborated with Alpas Wellness administrators on the design of two refresh rooms, one for healthcare staff and one for patients. Each element of the rooms was selected to create a sensory experience of tranquility in the midst of a stressful day at work or on a difficult journey to healing. The rooms aim for single-person occupancy to provide patients and staff privacy. There are plans to test the effectiveness of the space in reducing stress, providing a template for others hoping to create and assess healing environments.
In the 1940s, Hans Hofmann said to Jackson Pollock, “You do not work from nature. This is no good, you will repeat yourself. You work by heart, not from nature.”
Pollock famously replied, “I am nature.”
The artist’s assertion underscores a connection between artistic expression and the natural world. This aligns with the biophilia hypothesis, which posits that humans have an innate affinity for nature. Pollock’s work, with its patterns, shapes, and fractals, exemplifies a merging of the artist’s creative instincts and organic forms. The term biophilia was coined by Erich Fromm (1964, 1992), popularized later by Edward O. Wilson (1984), and viewed as an evolutionary adaptation. The benefits of nature on physiological, emotional, and cognitive function is increasingly appreciated (Joye, 2007). Recently, biophilic ideas have become popular within the design industry which aims to incorporate nature and its salubrious effects in the built environment. However, little scientific evidence exists to support the beneficial claims, such as increases in productivity and enhanced learning. How does nature relate to interior design? And can design alleviate stress in a vulnerable population?
THEORIES OF HUMAN/NATURE CONNECTION
Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) suggests that exposure to natural environments, with elements such as greenery and water, replenishes cognitive resources and alleviates mental fatigue, enhancing people’s focus. However, the broad definition of “nature” in this theory complicates empirical research, making it difficult to categorize restorative environments with specificity.
Stress Reduction Theory (Ulrich, 1993) posits that nature mitigates stress through its restorative impact. Natural settings evoke positive emotions, reduce physiological stress (heart rate and cortisol levels), and contribute to a sense of well-being. However, the complexity of psychological and physiological stress responses as related to differences in natural environments require further research.
Prospect-Refuge Theory (Appleton, 1975) argues that humans are drawn to environments offering a balance of open spaces (prospect) and shelter (refuge) because they are evolutionarily beneficial and preferred aesthetically. Open interior spaces are experienced as more natural and beautiful, and are preferred over closed spaces. While modern urban environments complicate the application of this theory, the need for safety and comfort remains relevant.
Fractal Fluency Theory (Appleton, 1975) focuses on the visual
aesthetics of fractals. These complex geometric shapes exhibit similar patterns across different spatial scales found in nature, including in trees, clouds, ferns, and seashells. This theory suggests that mid-range fractals promote “effortless looking,” enhancing cognitive processes and aesthetic appreciation (Taylor, 2021). In its current conception, it is limited to visual aesthetics and does not address other sensory modalities.
Human-centered design and architecture considers the aesthetic properties of the built environment. These approaches acknowledge the impact of natural elements within architectural structures on well-being, emphasizing the need for research at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and architecture (Chatterjee, Coburn & Weinberger, 2021).
Our approach is framed by the aesthetic triad, a brain-based theoretical framework adapted for architecture (Coburn et al., 2017). This framework suggests that aesthetic experiences of the built environment are shaped by sensorimotor, knowledge-meaning, and emotion-valuation systems. The sensorimotor system refers to “bottom-up” sensory processing of the built environment, such as visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, and vestibular properties. The knowledge-meaning system refers to “top-down” processing influenced by personal experiences, culture, and knowledge about the space. The emotion-valuation system refers to the emotions and feelings evoked by the space, and integrates information from the first two systems creating a holistic emotional experience.
The exact features of the environment that drive aesthetic experiences remain under investigation. Research by Coburn et al. (2020) identified three dimensions — coherence, fascination and hominess — that explain almost 90 percent of the variance in aesthetic experiences. Coherence refers to the organization and legibility of a space. Fascination refers to the richness and complexity of a scene creating a desire to explore. Hominess refers to a feeling of warmth, coziness, and belonging. These dimensions influence how people move through spaces and vary by expertise and population, highlighting the importance of considering individual differences in design preferences.
CASE STUDY: BIOPHILIC REFRESH ROOMS
This case study focuses on a healthcare and mental health facility where design choices can impact physical and mental health. Healthcare construction is constrained by efficiency, cost, and regulations that often minimize the importance of aesthetics and forego designing for the emotional well-being of occupants. However, environmental factors such as natural light, and exposure to natural scenery and sounds might ameliorate the experience of pain, seasonal affective disorder, and depression. The built environment can also potentially harm the mental and physical health of occupants — for example, respiratory disease as a result of poor air quality, a feeling of helplessness because of lack of personal control, or stress from noise This amplifies the need for better research on the links between the built environment and mental health.
Comfort, safety, attractiveness, size, privacy, and location are key design properties that medical health providers could focus on to improve the therapeutic effects.
Light Exposure to natural light can reduce perceived pain and depressive symptoms. Sunlight increases levels of serotonin, a pain-inhibiting neurotransmitter.
Our rooms feature wide windows with black-out curtains to control exposure to natural light, dimmable ceiling lights, and floor lamps to allow participants to control the lighting. We also installed light sensors to monitor participants’ preferred light patterns.
Furniture The refresh rooms include different seating options, such as a three-person couch, a rocking chair, and a pouf ottoman with fractal patterns. Extra pillows and soft blankets are included to add vibrant colors and soft textures. These options cater to different comfort needs and preferences, enhancing the welcoming atmosphere of the space.
Nature Living nature in indoor spaces can reduce stress. A recent academic review (Sal Moslehian et al., 2023) identifies natural indoor plants in healthcare facilities as an “efficient, low-cost, highly effective, and sustainable strategy for creating healing and therapeutic environments.”
We installed custom-made vertical living gardens in both rooms, donated by Garden on the Wall LLC. We included several plants of different sizes with green leaves and smooth edges such as Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant) and Philodendron.
Audio-visual experience Viewing nature is linked with beneficial psychophysiological outcomes such as an increase in positive emotions, a decrease in negative emotions, less stress and pain, and reduced length of stay. Louie Schwartzberg created several videos showing natural landscapes and Freddie Moross created the soundscape using ambient and acoustic music without narration or lyrics. Participants can choose to watch these videos.
Artwork Representational art is generally preferred over abstract art. Complex abstract art can produce frustration and confusion. We selected artwork for the rooms that is not emotionally challenging. Works include both representational paintings and craftwork with color patterns that fit the design of the space. The representational paintings focus on landscapes, natural elements, and the craftwork on texture and materiality.
Olfaction Aromatherapy and essential oils have been popular for centuries as alternative therapy and relaxation aids. To create a multisensory experience congruent with the nature-inspired design and audio-visual material, we included reed diffusers with natural scents carefully selected to avoid potential triggers such as flower or spice smells that might resemble alcoholic cocktails or emotional memories of holiday gatherings (e.g., “Christmas smells”).
ASSESSMENT
We plan to collect psychological and physiological data from participants before, during, and after they use the refresh room. Before entering, participants will rate their levels of stress, and positive and negative emotions on a questionnaire. While in the room, participants will wear a biometric sensor (Emotibit) that will collect their heart rate, heart rate variability and skin conductance, which will be analyzed for changes in physiological arousal. After leaving, participants will rate again their levels of stress, and positive and negative emotions. They will rate the aesthetic properties of the room based on Coherence, Fascination, and Hominess, and report on how the room made them feel and why they used the room, and provide feedback or suggestions to improve the space. They will also rate the audio-visual materials. This psychological and physiological data will provide valuable information about the impact of the refresh rooms on the emotional and aesthetic experience of the participants.
Architects and designers implicitly predict how the building will function, relate to the environment, and affect inhabitants. Meaningful collaboration between psychologists, neuroscientists and architects would ideally start early at the conceptual phase of design and then later at or after occupancy to evaluate prior predictions with the goal of improving future designs. Correcting prediction errors is a fundamental mechanism for how humans learn (Friston, 2018).
For practical reasons, post-occupancy information might be difficult
to obtain. Concerns about the privacy of residents, limited budgets, and even the undesirability of finding out that outcomes are not optimal are barriers to this kind of research.
Our refresh rooms, including music and videos designed from scratch, are informed by psychology and neuroscience research in collaboration with experts in design, music, and cinematography. Our observational study “in the wild” is the first to our knowledge that includes a holistic measurement approach including physiological data while participants experience the biophilic refresh room.
We will incorporate an iterative process for design. We plan to get feedback from participants on what they found useful and which elements were less optimal for their needs. We start with similarly designed rooms for staff and patients but based on feedback, we will be able to alter some elements of the spaces. We also plan to recreate the spaces in immersive virtual reality. Such digital spaces can accelerate our ability to explore changes we might consider to the spaces as we proceed. Future studies in VR could isolate the effects of individual design elements in the space in a way difficult to do in a real-world setting.
For vulnerable populations such as people suffering from substance abuse and sensitive populations like healthcare employees, we wish to convey a sense of trust that might be beneficial to their self-esteem and desire for independence. A welcoming environment that can reduce stress also applies to staff. Nurses have high rates of burnout. A supportive physical environment can increase staff satisfaction, productivity, and effectiveness, and reduce the costs of staff turnover (Ulrich et al., 2008).
Healthcare architecture and design have inspired recent interest in making spaces comforting and safe for workers and patients. Trending terms like “healing” architecture, “restorative” or “affective” design and related literature emphasize the need for human-centered design catering to physical and emotional healing. However, the enthusiasm for such design is not matched by scientific evidence for their benefits. Refresh rooms have the potential to alleviate physical and psychological distress. We aim to measure these benefits as we proceed. This template is a meaningful collaboration between neuroscience, psychology, and architecture, aided by contributions from design, audio, and video experts.
ANJAN CHATTERJEE , Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture, is founding director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, author of The Aesthetic Brain , and co-editor of several volumes on neuroscience and art. He is recipient of the Leadership in Innovation Award from the Global Wellness Institute and served as president of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics and the Cognitive Neurology Society.
VASILIKI MELETAKI is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, investigating the role of art and design in wellness and emotion regulation. Before joining the PCfN, she worked at the Laboratory of Cognitive Neurosciences of CNRS in Marseille.
MIKE AVERY teaches at the University of Pennsylvania, offering seminars covering design processes, fabrication, architecture, and health. He also consults in the fields of healthcare quality improvement, medical device design, and architecture, while prioritizing a human-centered and collaborative design philosophy.
LOUIE SCHWARTZBERG is an award-winning cinematographer and director who uses time-lapse and macro techniques to reveal nature’s beauty and wisdom. His films include Fantastic Fungi , Mysteries of the Unseen World , and Wings of Life. His Visual Healing program transforms spaces with immersive nature films, benefiting health and well-being.
FREDDIE MOROSS founded Myndstream with a mission to unlock the transformative power of music for enhanced well-being. Awarded the 2022 Debra Simon Award for his innovative approach to wellness, Moross now pioneers a new era of audio in spa and hospitality, crafting guest experiences that enhance well-being and foster a deeper emotional connection between a brand and its clientele.
REFERENCES
Appleton, J. (1975). The experience of landscape. London, New York: Wiley Chatterjee, A., Coburn, A., & Weinberger, A. (2021). The neuroaesthetics of architectural spaces. Cognitive processing, 22(Suppl 1), 115-120. https://doi. org/10.1007/s10339-021-01043-4
Coburn, A., Vartanian, O., & Chatterjee, A. (2017). Buildings, beauty, and the brain: A neuroscience of architectural experience. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(9), 1521–1531. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01146
Coburn, A., Vartanian, O., Kenett, Y. N., Nadal, M., Hartung, F., Hayn-Leichsenring, G., … Chatterjee, A. (2020). Psychological and neural responses to architectural interiors. Cortex, 126, 217–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.01.009
Friston, K. (2018). Does predictive coding have a future? Nature Neuroscience, 21(8), 1019–1021. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-018-0200-7
Fromm, E. (1992). The anatomy of human destructiveness. Macmillan Fromm, Erich (1964). The Heart of Man. Harper & Row.
Joye, Y. (2007). Architectural Lessons From Environmental Psychology: The Case of Biophilic Architecture. Review of General Psychology, 11(4), 305–328. https:// doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.11.4.305
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182. https://doi. org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2
Sal Moslehian, A., Roös, P. B., Gaekwad, J. S., & Van Galen, L. (2023). Potential risks and beneficial impacts of using indoor plants in the biophilic design of healthcare facilities: A scoping review. In Building and Environment (Vol. 233, Issue February). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110057
Taylor, R. P. (2021). The potential of biophilic fractal designs to promote health and performance: A review of experiments and applications. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(2), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020823
Ulrich, R. D. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224, 42–421
Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Zhu, X., DuBose, J., Seo, H. B., Choi, Y. S., … Joseph, A. (2008). A review of the research literature on evidence-based healthcare design. HERD. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758670800100306
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. The authors collaborated on the Refresh Rooms for residents and staff. Now it’s time to study and test the impact.
DR. AJLA AKSAMIJA
DOCUMENTING AND DISSEMINATING ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH
IS KEY TO SOLVING ‘WICKED PROBLEMS’
BY DR. FRANCA TRUBIANO
“In an academic context, we are required to publish,” says Dr. Ajla Aksamija. “That’s how we progress through our careers: publish or perish. However, few firms understand that to be an innovator in a field you need to publish and share research results. Without documentation of our research, there is no dissemination, and without dissemination of our research, there are no future projects.”
Aksamija (LEED AP BD+C, CDT, FTI Fellow) is an architectural researcher, author, professor, Distinguished Chair for Resilient Places, and former chair of the School of Architecture at the University of Utah. Her research is centered on building science and sustainability, emerging technologies, digital design and representations, and innovations in architecture. She served as president of the Facade Tectonics Institute. She is the author of three books, Research Methods for the Architectural Profession (Routledge, 2021), Integrating Innovation in Architecture, Design, Methods and Technology for Progressive Practice and Research (John Wiley & Sons, 2016), and Sustainable Facades: Design Methods for High-Performance Building Envelopes (John Wiley & Sons, 2013).
She also served as director of Perkins&Will’s Building Technology Laboratory for five years. This “practice-driven research laboratory” focused on advanced building technologies, high-performance buildings, computational design, and building facades. A founder of the Perkins&Will Research Journal, the first peer-reviewed research journal borne of an architectural practice, Aksamija served as its editor for fourteen years, until 2022.
Franca Trubiano: What are some important successes in research achieved by practicing architects over the past decade?
Dr. Ajla Aksamija: In the past 15 years, we’ve made significant progress and achievements in integrating research in architectural practice. Starting in the late 2000s, the architectural profession realized the value of research and why it is necessary to integrate its methods within practice, as within the delivery of individual projects. We also began to disseminate our findings in a better and more organized way. Although there is a lot more room to grow when it comes to the dissemination of architectural research, we have made significant progress.
The architectural profession also realized that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to innovate without integrating research within practice. The reasons for this are several. First, there are technological advancements which architects are asked to master, including computational design and BIM collaborative practices. Secondly, both the profession and buildings are more complicated and complex than they’ve ever been. Clients require more from us as architects, especially considering performance-based building design. Thirdly, the paradigm shift towards sustainable design and resilient places has required greater attention to research.
What are some opportunities that have yet to be mined for practicing architects who wish to pursue research and what are some of the lingering barriers for entry into this space?
The largest opportunity we have when addressing complex and complicated research questions within architectural practice is the ability to move our questions beyond the scope of a single architectural project or building typology. Beyond being experts in housing, museums, and labs, we might become more knowledgeable in new materials, construction methods, innovative facade systems, or the application of digital design and fabrication. Another opportunity is collaborating with academic institutions and national laboratories.
The most common barriers, however, include lack of funding and time, not being sure how to execute and engage in long term research projects, and not having trained researchers on staff. Typically, only large firms can afford to have full-time trained researchers as part of their practice. Most practices in the U.S. are small to medium-sized firms that do not have the necessary resources to engage in the how and why of research. In this case, a solution might be to collaborate with academics and institutes who also want to solve what I call “wicked problems” facing the architectural profession.
SPREAD THE WORD Dr. Aksamija is the author of three books based on her work.
What are some of the benefits that accrue to firms that engage in research?
In my book Integrating Innovation in Architecture, I interviewed close to 70 firms asking them to define the characteristics of innovative firms — how they defined the value of innovation, and why they pursued research and development as part of their practice. In most cases, the definition of innovation was very specific to the size and goals of the firm, to their areas of practice, and to the building types/market sectors common in the firm. It was also important that they define both implicit and explicit values.
Explicit values included improved building performance, better marketing opportunities, being more competitive against their peers, and appearing more knowledgeable in their client’s eyes. These values are easily reflected in business metrics and profits.
Implicit values included fostering an employee culture that supported the kinds of experiments whose goals were larger than simply achieving a better bottom line (the reduction of work hours spent on projects for increasing productivity, business, financial performance, and marketing), even if these were more difficult to quantify. The range of possible benefits is wide, from better building and business performance to more lofty goals that include broadening knowledge and improving confidence and satisfaction at work.
How is architectural research fundamentally different from architectural practice? Can forms of architectural research taking place in universities be easily integrated into professional practice?
The main differences between academic architectural research and research in professional practice relates to the kinds of questions, scope, and timeline of the studies. In academic research, we typically have long term studies where the scope is larger than any specific architectural project. When addressing broader research questions, we have more time, and we’re expected to not only conduct the research, but to publish, present, and educate others with our findings.
In architectural practice, research typically relates to a specific architectural project or to specific areas of practice important to the firm and in need of improvement (for example, facades, planning, systems integration, or sustainable design). Professional research is aimed at project team effectiveness and understanding how different digital tools might impact architectural design or ways of collaborating. Timelines in practice are much shorter; we typically don’t have the freedom to engage in long term studies that require significant time resources. Moreover, if firms bring in external research expertise, they should understand how their expertise can best fit within architectural projects or the areas of practice that need improvement.
Individuals who focus on building technology and performance or digital design tools have more opportunities to engage in professional research and development, because the need for this type of expertise is great. However, firms who hire such research expertise need to identify their goals
for doing so, including expected timelines. For example, if a firm is doing building performance analysis on an architectural project, a design team cannot wait for extensive periods of time for research analysts to run different types of simulation models to find the best optimized solution for a certain design problem. Answers are needed quickly and in sync with the design process.
What are some of the most recalcitrant misconceptions held by practicing architects about research?
That it takes too much time and resources. Also, architects sometimes don’t fully understand the scientific research process or how it might relate to the design process. The AIA does offer continuing education courses on a variety of topics, and it may be of value to think about organizing workshops for architects who wish to be trained to conduct research. We lack training materials for practicing architects on how to conduct research and how to relate research to architectural design.
What are some reasons architects are less likely to publish the results of their research activities? Compared to our colleagues in engineering and medicine, architects in practice hardly ever disseminate their findings. Why?
Three reasons: not understanding the value of publishing, not building the expertise in writing research reports, and liability.
Writing research reports is different than writing a firm’s marketing materials. This requires knowing how to write objectively and understanding the structure of research publications. Typically, this is not something we are taught in professional architecture schools. Lastly, some firms doing cutting edge research are concerned with publicly releasing intellectual property. For legal teams, they may see risks rather than value when sharing knowledge in a peer-reviewed, scientific and objective way.
Can you offer a closing anecdote that speaks to the value of “writing and sharing” our discoveries from architectural research that could inspire others to do so?
In 2008/2009, I did a study for a project that was in a hot and dry area in Saudi Arabia. It was a sports and recreation facility that had a courtyard with shading devices. The client wanted to remove the shading devices. For us, as architects, it was obvious that if you don’t have shading devices, given the harsh external environment, nobody’s going to use the courtyard. But, as is often the case due to value engineering, the client wanted to remove the shading devices. So, we engaged in a study that investigated thermal comfort in exterior environments and how different design strategies could improve occupant comfort. We used a simulation tool developed by the University of Califor-
nia, Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment for the research.
After extensive study and modeling, results showed that after five minutes of being outside, a person would be too hot to stay in the open courtyard. The same methodology was used to find an optimal design solution for the shading device. The report was written, shared with the client, and optimized shading devices went back into the project.
I had completely forgotten about the project when, two years ago, a colleague who was also at Perkins&Will asked me if I had a copy of the report. I looked through my files and found the study, the procedures, and the report, which I shared with him. He used the findings and was able to land a project that his firm was competing for. If I hadn’t documented the project with a report, all that knowledge would have been lost to someone who, 15 years later, sought to drive design decisions for a major urban redevelopment project. The anecdote reminds us that without documentation of our research, there is no dissemination, and without dissemination of our research, there are no future projects.
FRANCA TRUBIANO is Graduate Group Chair of the PhD Program in Architecture, Associate Professor, and a Registered Architect with l’Ordre des Architects du Québec. She is also co-director of Penn’s Mellon-funded Humanities + Urban + Design Initiative.
SHOW AND TELL Cover pages from the Perkins&Will Research Journal’s past issues.
DESIGN
PLACES FOR RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHEMISTRY RESEARCH BUILDING
Ballinger
Located at the nexus of the University of Maryland's Science District, the Chemistry Research Building provides an advanced research environment that formally synthesizes its historic context with chemistry-based fractal geometries. The iconic architectural vocabulary respects its antecedents while cultivating a forward-looking identity. The building features amenities such as a ground-level interdisciplinary Bio-NMR imaging facility, a Great Hall, and a rooftop lounge and terrace. The Great Hall draws upon fractal geometries to create a unique, intimate environment for institutional celebrations and engagements with notable scholars. A vertical shading ribbon represents the collaborative workspaces within, symbolically interconnecting the two-story Great Hall with a two-story Thesis Defense Space to the north. The design draws upon a simplified and rigorous lab planning module that interconnects with the adjacent workspace, fostering collaboration between wet lab and computational research modalities. Full-height rhythmically organized interior glazing is codified on the exterior envelope, fostering a sense of porosity that optimizes access to daylight and occupant wellness. The project contributes to the campus by transforming a service drive into a new campus thoroughfare, and, as the institution's first carbon neutral building, it employs a novel reuse of waste heat from an adjacent utility plant.
PROJECT: University of Maryland Chemistry Research Building
ALAN MAGEE SCAIFE HALL OF ENGINEERING AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY KieranTimberlake
The Alan Magee Scaife Hall of Engineering is a six-story research facility at a prominent corner of Carnegie Mellon's campus. Bound by Schenley Park to the south, a deep vegetated hollow to the west, and the original campus to the north and east, the new building forms a gateway to the university's historic core. The 85,000-square-foot building is home to the Mechanical Engineering Department and is comprised of labs, offices, classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and a café. The design balances the desire for privacy and collaboration, while enabling the flexibility to grow and reconfigure in response to evolving uses, technology, population, and pedagogy. A two-story lower volume with laboratories is strategically integrated into the hillside. The below grade footprint takes advantage of ground-coupling to reduce heating and cooling
demands. The work spaces are designed to support innovative research in a variety of subjects, and include both wet and dry lab spaces, a drone arena, a robotics lab, and a biosafety level 1 lab. Each requires complex, bespoke system designs, including elements such as pressurization controls, fume hoods, and source capture exhausts. To promote collaboration, workstations are located adjacent to the labs and benefit from the sloped hillside's access to daylight and views. A landscaped courtyard encourages socializing. Teaching facilities, including flexible classrooms and lecture spaces, anchor the first two levels of the building, while offices occupy the upper levels. Woven around and within the building's circulation are flexible spaces for collaboration and study, creating an active hub for research, teaching, and learning.
PROJECT: Alan Magee Scaife Hall of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University
Jensen Hughes (Code, Life Safety and Accessibility)
Simpson Gumpertz Heger (Envelope and Waterproofing)
Spacesmith (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment)
VanDeusen (Elevator)
Wilson Consulting (Spec)
Space by Spielman Ltd. (Food Service)
DESIGN PROFILE PLACES FOR RESEARCH
DESIGN PROFILE PLACES FOR RESEARCH
LILLY PHILADELPHIA
Strada
Like many companies operating in a hybrid capacity since the onset of COVID, Eli Lilly and Company understood that their West Philadelphia research facility would need to transform to meet the needs of a post-pandemic reality. The resulting renovation, titled “Shifted Perspectives,” sought to fundamentally alter the ways in which team members perceive and inhabit their workspaces. As a scientific research enterprise, a significant percentage of Lilly's staff are required to be on site five days a week performing laboratory-based work. The design team utilized data to improve workplace culture. A robust pre-design effort engaged all occupants — those working fully on-site and in hybrid/remote capacities. Design responses included dramatically opening the floor plan, intentional acoustic control, use of natural materials, ergonomic furniture, and creation of multiple workspace types for active and focused work. The Shifted Perspectives theme is conveyed via dynamic shapes such as angled soffits, diagonal lighting, and slanted glass walls. Several laboratories were renovated to accommodate new equipment, improve process flow, and dramatically lower energy consumption. Views into the lab from a central hallway connect research and desking areas, while providing a safe barrier between the two. The entire perimeter of the floor plate was opened to promote circulation. This allowed all occupied areas to have direct views to the exterior, while small clusters of ergonomic workstations replaced the vast sea of cubicles that had previously dominated the floor. Focus rooms, a necessity for virtual collaboration and a means to accommodate neurodivergent workstyles, were provided in abundance.
PROJECT: Lilly Philadelphia
LOCATION: West Philadelphia
CLIENT: Eli Lilly and Company
PROJECT SIZE: 29,630 square feet
PROJECT TEAM:
Strada Services (Architect, Interiors, Lab Planning)
AKF Group Services (MEP/FP Engineering)
Gardner Fox Associates Services (Construction Management)
PHOTOS: JEFFREY TOTARO
DESIGN PROFILE PLACES FOR RESEARCH
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE RESEARCH COMPLEX
Erdy McHenry Architecture
Universities worldwide are striving to develop sustainable food production methods to meet the demands of a growing population and changing climates. Located at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on The Ohio State University's main campus, the Controlled Environment Agricultural Research Complex (CEARC) is instrumental in supporting the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Science's development of transformative solutions to enhance food security through improvements in agricultural vitality. CEARC covers over 47,000 square feet and features a 15,000 square-foot research support headhouse, along with 32,000 square feet of advanced growing space. The facility includes two greenhouse structures: a production greenhouse for various crop studies, from tall crop troughs to short stature hydroponic systems, and a research greenhouse for secure experimentation with plant pathogens. The greenhouses function as separate entities — they are constructed with innovative envelope systems and compartmentalized to accommodate diverse research needs. The exposed piping, ductwork, and conduits throughout the complex enhance both functionality and the visibility of its operational components. More than just a greenhouse, CEARC promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across fields such as horticulture, crop science, and
PROJECT: Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex
plant pathology. The complex offers multifunctional spaces for teaching, events, and outreach programs, engaging students and the community through hands-on learning experiences and symposia. Research initiatives, including the use of bumblebee boxes for enhanced pollination, support CEARC's commitment to innovative agricultural practices. The headhouse, which includes administrative offices, teaching spaces, and laboratories, compliments the adjacent greenhouses and was constructed using a pre-engineered metal building system, allowing for a construction timeline that matched the greenhouses.
SGH is proud to support the Philadelphia AIA Chapter and honored to serve on the design team for the Alan Magee Scaife Hall of Engineering
5th
2024 DESIGN AWARDS
On November 21, hundreds of community members gathered to celebrate design excellence at AIA Philadelphia’s annual Design Awards Celebration. These awards are more than just a ceremony — they are a way for our organization to recognize the individuals and firms that are shaping our city and toast the future of the architecture profession in Philadelphia
The PAUL PHILIPPE CRET AWARD recognizes individuals or organizations who are not traditional architects but who have made an outstanding and lasting contribution to the design of buildings, structures, landscapes, and the public realm of Greater Philadelphia. Laurie Olin , partner at OLIN, is a distinguished teacher, author, and one of the most renowned landscape architects practicing today. From vision to realization, he has guided many of OLIN’s signature projects, including the Washington Monument Grounds in Washington, D.C., Bryant Park in New York City, and the Getty Center in Los Angeles. His recent projects include the award-winning Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and Apple Park in Cupertino.
The JOHN FREDERICK HARBESON AWARD is presented annually to a long-standing member of the architectural community and is intended to recognize their significant contributions to the architectural profession and its related disciplines over their lifetime. This year, Michael Johns, FAIA of Mdesigns + MWJ Consulting, LLC distinguished himself by his contributions to the architectural profession, AIA, the education of the architectural community, and the Philadelphia community at large.
The annual PHILADELPHIA
PRIZE recognizes a Philadelphia firm that has been established and licensed within the past ten years for its high-quality design and innovative thought. This year’s winner, OOMBRA , is a small, creative firm of design professionals, focused on creating thoughtful, unique and socially responsible environments using skills forged through past experiences built on meaningful and lasting relationships. Through their diverse range of expertise, OOMBRA creates thoughtful spaces and memorable places, meant to evoke a conversation, an emotion and a positive experience. OOMBRA takes a client’s objectives and communicates them through compelling designs. They believe successful architecture and placemaking is realized when the complexity of the problem is simplified through the design process, resulting in a clear expression of purpose, material, light, shadow and form. Through all of their work, OOMBRA strives to create a strong sense of community and a responsibly built world that enhances the human experience.
EMERGING ARCHITECT (PEA)
The YOUNG ARCHITECT AWARD, presented by AIA Philadelphia’s Steering Committee of Fellows, recognizes architects between the ages of 25 and 39 for their contributions in leadership, practice, and service. This year’s winners are Daniel Ellsworth Brown, AIA and Sophia Lee, AIA.
Daniel Ellsworth Brown is an architect at EwingCole known for his commitment to education, public-facing architecture, urbanism, and transportation advocacy. Brown has worked on projects that enhance communities; from impactful residential developments in Center City Philadelphia to nationally recognized stadiums. At EwingCole, Brown combines technical expertise with a thoughtful approach to placemaking and user experience.
Sophia Lee is a sustainability strategist at Jacobs and a lecturer at Temple University. While she served as AIA Philadelphia Board Member At-Large and Chair of AIA’s Philadelphia Urban Design Committee, she advanced urban resilience, environmental justice, and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) representation. She has volunteered extensively with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to push for Vision Zero in Philadelphia — the zero represents zero traffic deaths.
THE ALAN GREENBERGER AWARD was presented by the Community Design Collaborative to Richard Winston, AIA This annual award recognizes Community Design Collaborative leaders/volunteers and AIA members for their commitment and service. A principal of OZ Collaborative, Winston has over 40 years of experience in all facets of the building delivery process. Over the course of his career, he has worked with a number of colleges and universities in the region, including the University of Pennsylvania, La Salle University, and Princeton University. A rarity among his peer architectural professionals, Winston has over 15 years of direct contracting experience — a valuable asset when
making decisions about the economy and constructability of designs. He is frequently sought as a consultant on the modification of existing structures and on construction processes. As an educator, Winston has guest-lectured on professional practice at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, and taught design at Drexel University.
The Community Design Collaborative’s PAUL SENHERT COMMUNITY DESIGN AWARD honors Senhert’s legacy by promoting the practice of social impact design within the architecture community. The annual award celebrates one project completed through the Community Design Collaborative’s Design Grants Program for design excellence, professional development, and social impact.
This year the UNITED PEOPLE’S LEARNING INITIATIVE FOR TOMORROW - ACADEMY SOUTHWEST PROJECT was selected for excellence in design, collaboration, and community impact. The project was created for UPLIFT Academy, a school aiming to close the achievement gap caused by socioeconomic inequities for students in grades 8-12. The goal was to provide the Montessori-style school with a conceptual design and feasibility study for potential growth into a new facility with multiple play spaces to promote learning. The Project Team was USA Architects, McHugh Engineering Associates, Inc., Meliora Design, Sherpa Construction Consulting, and SMP Architects; the Design Team included Morgan Flynn, Tara Dougherty, Derek Nicol, Michael Witkowski, Matt Ulassin, Jim McAuliffe, Todd Woodward, Dhaval Patel, and Chongba Sherpa.
DESIGN AWARDS
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
2024 DESIGN AWARDS
GOLD MEDAL AWARD
GOLD MEDAL + SUSTAINABILITY
BOHLIN
CYWINSKI JACKSON | ROSA VALDES STEM + INNOVATION CENTER
A new home for middle and upper school math, science, and innovation, the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center provides a range of classrooms, fabrication and robotics labs, and makerspaces, intentionally intermixed to foster cross-disciplinary teamwork. The mass timber building offers a warm, natural framework for varied activities, while ample glazing throughout allows visual connections between learning environments and outdoor areas. An expansive double-height commons provides a welcoming social space for students and faculty during the day.
Tactile opportunities for students to learn about integrated sustainable design are found throughout the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center, from the use of mass timber to daylight autonomy, rainwater harvesting, energy conservation, and more. The mass timber structure was identified early in the design process to lower the project’s carbon footprint, as well as achieve the desired longterm flexibility by facilitating modular classroom and lab design. A green roof and courtyard rain garden showcase native and pollinator planting and water management, while the design team also restored the school’s historic cistern to serve as a linchpin of discussions around the water cycle.
Located atop cliffs overlooking the Brandywine River in Wilmington, Delaware, this new office building for a pharmaceutical company seeks to take advantage of the site’s beauty and rich history while challenging the typology of an office building. The client desired the most equitable workplace possible along with consideration of established, successful workflows. The required focus for much of their work and concern for future pandemic safety led to a workplace composed entirely of private offices. The building’s narrow, 65’-wide floorplate optimizes access to natural light and allows 83 percent of the over 1,000 offices to be located directly on the perimeter. Extensive and iterative solar analysis informed a strategy of external shading devices and frit which maximize daylight and views while minimizing glare. The building form stretches across the site following the topography, recalling the meander of the granite cliffs and historic mills in the valley below. Natural materials and abundant outdoor amenities further emphasize the sensitive connection to place.
General Contractor: Whiting Turner
Landscape Architect: Andropogon
SILVER MEDAL AWARD
HONOR: SMALL PROJECTS
KJO ARCHITECTURE | ARROWHEAD A-FRAME
The Arrowhead A-Frame was designed for a Philadelphia family who wished to optimize its unusual lot geometry: property lines run perpendicular to the waterfront and taper slightly inward. By minimizing required setbacks and maximizing buildable area, a unique form was generated that deviates from the typical orthogonal A-Frame footprint. As converging roof planes meet, the ridge drops from front to back, adding additional drama to the upper-level spaces and the termination at the window wall. Exaggerated rake overhangs provide additional shading and weather protection at the front and rear entries, and frame views of a large lakeside deck and seating area.
Structural Engineer: STRUC TURE LABS, LLC
HONOR: INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE LO DESIGN | THE LOW PENTHOUSE
The Low Penthouse is a modestly scaled living space with an emphasis on warmth, porosity, flexibility, and views. Designed for a client who is an avid collector of objects, fine furniture, and art, the design and functionality of the space is derived and translated from the specific requirements of the owners’ lifestyle. The result is a residence that emanates an enveloping, functional beauty while framing views of Rittenhouse Square. Random matched white oak millwork is a unifying element throughout, exuding a golden warmth and tying spaces together while implicitly defining zones within the residence. This includes free-standing object displays used to separate spaces, while still allowing visibility. For instance, a built-in desk — concealed with full height, sliding privacy screens — allows the space to transform from an office to a guest suite. Materials were designed to enhance the air quality and health of the space, including natural finishes and non-toxic products. The space was also designed to allow for maximum flexibility to adapt to the owner’s changing needs.
General Contractor: Osborne Construction
HONOR: INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE KAMINSKI + PEW | DELANCEY PLACE TOWNHOME
In this gut renovation of a historic home in Philadelphia, Kaminski + Pew reorganized the interior, replaced and upgraded the building systems, and added parking. Handling both architecture and interiors, the house is a complete project.
Structural Engineer: Larsen & Landis
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: GNP Design Group
General Contractor: ASW Hobart
SAM OBERTER
ROUND THREE PHOTOGRAPHY, LAUREN GRYNIEWSKI
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT KIERANTIMBERLAKE | FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY
HONOR: HISTORIC PRESERVATION/ADAPTIVE REUSE
STRADA ARCHITECTURE LLC | THE BATTERY
How do you inhabit a machine? The vacant 1923 Delaware Generating Station was a giant concrete and steel “machine” on the Delaware River. Not only the building, but the entire site was used to convert coal combustion gases to electricity. Each “machine” component had particular spatial and architectural requirements, and the design team leveraged the associated space types and locations to create programming opportunities and circulation paths within the buildings and across the site. Equipment was removed; entire floor plates were added, and entry sequences, lobbies, and internal circulation were added to make the “machine” habitable.
Owner/Developer: Lubert-Adler
Structural Engineer: Morabito Consultants
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Advanced
Engineering, Inc.
General Contractor: Fastrack Construction
Interior Designer: Sentral
Interior Designer: Studio Machado
Civil Engineer: LANGAN
Preservation Consultant: Powers & Company Inc.
The renewal and expansion of the Folger Shakespeare Library is the result of more than 10 years of planning to make the institution a more inclusive, experiential, and welcoming place. In addition to the public space, café, and galleries, the project also includes new collaborative research spaces, new reading room furnishings, HVAC and accessibility improvements in the theater, and updates to the collection storage system. The design responds to a commitment to expand the audience, relevance, and future of the Folger.
Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates
Electrical Engineer: Ken Wieber
General Contractor: Gilbane
AWARDS
ALAN KARCHMER/OTTO AND SAHAR COSTON-HARDY
JEFFREY TOTARO, IAN KOZLIK, NATHAN BROWN
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT
BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON | MALACHOWSKY HALL FOR DATA SCIENCE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Seeking to position itself as a global leader in data science and AI, University of Florida saw an emerging opportunity to link computational research with the pressing needs of the healthcare industry. Co-locating departments from the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering into a single 265,000 square-foot building, the University envisioned a facility that would set the standard for future STEM buildings nationwide, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and put research on display, while realizing ambitious sustainability goals. Malachowsky Hall’s exterior, clad in 1,500 custom metal panel units, is a marked departure from the predominant use of brick throughout campus. Shop-manufactured panels aided in meeting an ambitious schedule and allowed for greater quality control. Window shapes contain electrochromic glazing, responding to the path of the sun, tinting each unit to mitigate glare for occupants. All glazing on the project features a bird-safe frit pattern. The interior is organized around a light-filled vertical commons that pulls occupants up and through each level. Floors include a mixture of faculty offices, enclosed and open meeting rooms, classrooms, and over 40 research labs.
Collaborating Firm: Walker Architects
Owner/Developer: University of Florida
Structural Engineer: Walter P. Moore
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
General Contractor: Ajax Building Company, LLC
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT KIERANTIMBERLAKE | JOHN A. PAULSON CENTER
The LEED Gold John A. Paulson Center is a 735,000 square-foot, mixed-use academic building that sets a new paradigm for multi-use university facilities. The building embodies the vibrancy and character of New York University, while offering new ways to engage, learn, work, play, and live. Designed to optimize interactions between diverse student groups and academic disciplines, the building includes classrooms; performing arts theaters, teaching, rehearsal, and practice rooms; athletic facilities for varsity sports and recreation; and housing for students and faculty. Each of these spaces is organized into unique “neighborhoods” connected by an expansive commons that provides collaborative gathering spaces. Design strategies and goals for the building were established through an iterative process beginning with visioning and programming discussions among a wide range of stakeholders in the community. The exterior is as functional as it is dynamic. Designed to consider solar heat gain, bird strikes, acoustics, and privacy, the building’s facades create an interplay of layers and textures.
Collaborating Firm: Davis Brody Bond, A Page COmpany
Owner/Developer: New York University
Structural Engineer: Severud Associates
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers, PC
General Contractor: Turner Construction Company
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT CONVERSE WINKLER ARCHITECTURE, LLC | 5TH STREET / INDEPENDENCE HALL STATION
The renovation of the 5th Street/Independence Hall Station creates a gateway to historic Philadelphia that enhances the understanding of place and the diversity of its history while also providing a brighter, safer, cleaner, and more accessible mass-transit experience.
Owner/Developer: SEPTA
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Burns Engineering Inc.
General Contractor: A.P. Construction Inc.
CONNIE ZHOU/JBSA, JAMES EWING/JBSA
NIC LEHOUX
JORDAN CASSWAY; STUART ROME
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT
DIGSAU | THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
The Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) was designed to spark an interest in career and workforce training programs that provide students with the opportunity to launch meaningful and lucrative careers. With classrooms, breakout spaces, offices, and three high-bay workshops for hands-on courses in welding, robotics, and industrial maintenance, the facility connects learners with community, industry, and technology. Ample glazing provides easy visual access to a vibrant vocational learning program, while the central lobby and breakout rooms offer space to pause and socialize. Adaptable high-bay spaces are fit out to suit today’s workforce training needs while looking ahead to accommodate evolving workforce needs. The CAT building is the second structure built on the Bristol Campus. The facility is sited to create a new campus green with spaces and amenities that serve faculty and student needs, while also laying the groundwork for further growth of this commuter campus. The building’s corrugated metal cladding references the metalworking instruction at the CAT, and the iconic red and white painted barns throughout Bucks County.
Owner/Developer: Bucks County Community College
Structural Engineer: Environetics
Mechanical Engineer: Alderson Engineering
Civil Engineer: Pickering, Court & Summers
HONOR: GENERAL BUILT SITIO A+U | 2500 LEAGUE ISLAND BOULEVARD
HONOR AWARDS
2500 League Island Boulevard provides a flexible work and production environment catered to the growing technology and cell therapy industry in Philadelphia at the Navy Yard. Developed by Gattuso Development Partners, this 130,000 square-foot life sciences GMP manufacturing facility is the initial building within a 6.5-acre future campus focused on serving production needs while offering an imageable presence. Uniquely located off I-95 with close proximity to the Philadelphia International Airport and Center City, 2500 League Island Boulevard stands to build on the revitalization of the Navy Yard and its history as a place of production and innovation.
Community Engagement Coordinator: Amber Art and Design
HONOR: GENERAL UNBUILT GENSLER | CONFIDENTIAL CHEMICAL SENSES RESEARCH CENTER
The Chemical Senses Center is the world’s only independent, nonprofit scientific institute dedicated to interdisciplinary basic research on the senses of taste and smell. At the Center, scientists are unlocking some of the most fundamental mysteries of what makes us human. By integrating elements that evoke and celebrate these senses, Gensler created an environment that not only stimulates creativity and innovation but also enhances well-being and connectivity to the local community. The design incorporates sensory-inspired aesthetics and functionality, ensuring that each space resonates with the essence of the Center’s mission.
General Contractor: CFR Engineering
HALKIN/MASON PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC
HALKIN/MASON PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC
CONNIE ZHOU/JBSA, JAMES EWING/JBSA
HONOR AWARDS
HONOR: PLANNING
PORT | CENTENNIAL DISTRICT IDEAS EXCHANGE COMPETITION
As part of a competition to reimagine the future of West Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, this proposal conceptualizes “The West Way” — a reimagining of the historic Centennial District as a more inviting, accessible, and ecologically diverse space. West Fairmount Park remains home to three significant cultural institutions: The Mann Center, Please Touch Museum, and the Philadelphia Zoo. “The West Way” is an urban form that echoes the historical midway, connecting all three institutions and expanding their footprints and activities outwards. Rather than attempt to address all 540+ acres of the district, PORT proposed to concentrate actions and investments in the most visible and accessible areas of the park. Grounded in this pragmatism, the team explored interventions that would be transformative yet achievable. Central to their approach was a dynamic, experiential engagement strategy built around themed community events. The design transforms the three cultural institutions into gateways anchoring the 540-acre site, while improved streetscapes provide multi-modal connections for pedestrians, cyclists and public transit. The holistic approach unites heritage, ecology and community voices, fostering an engaging and culturally-rich public realm.
Freedom Lofts is an adaptive reuse of two existing three-story 19th century industrial buildings with the addition of a three-story overbuild. Through passionate development, meticulous designing, careful construction, and a resilient team, this development gave another life to two non-historically designated buildings. The new overbuild is a thoughtful and measured addition to the existing structures. A set back creates a physical and visual hierarchy, and complements the patina of the 19th century buildings. The rejuvenation of these buildings brings a vibrant, active life back to a sullen block while maintaining the historical fabric of the neighborhood.
BLUPATH DESIGN INC. | HISTORIC PINE STREET PASSIVE HOUSE
This renovation modernized a 1845 rowhome to passive house performance, prioritizing repurposed, reused, recycled, and low-carbon materials. The first-floor gut rehab converted offices into a modern, three-bed/three-bath apartment accommodating the owner's professional office, art collection, and custom-designed furniture. A light color palette, vibrant accent colors, and mirrors offset the limited access to daylight. Two units were converted to two-bed/two-bath flats for flexible tenancy. Modernized, enlarged kitchens enhanced all upper flats; refurbished fixtures and casings, traditional millwork, and tilework adorned the upper floors. While the owner's flat received local FSC flooring, the upper units' original oak and walnut floors were refinished. Renewable-sourced electrical service replaced gas for a fossil fuel-free building. Each apartment has Energy Star appliances, heat pumps, and ERVs for HEPA-filtered air. The brick was tested, and the envelope was modeled using PHPP and WUFI tools to prevent condensation and bio-growth for a healthy, airtight, and super-insulated design. Triple-pane, simulated double-hung windows — trimmed with high-density insulation milled to original profiles — beautify the historic facade.
Underpinning Design: Preferred Property Inspections and Engineers Inc.
Once a series of mercantile piers and industrial uses cut off from the city by I-95, Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront has been the subject of numerous planning studies over five decades. The new Park at Penn’s Landing will reconnect the city to the river’s edge by constructing a transformational civic space. The I-95 Central Access Philadelphia (CAP) project will guide pedestrians from city sidewalks to an 11.5-acre park with a series of public amenities and attractions. The scope of work includes the architectural design of the central pavilion, which will house a café, skate rentals, and office space for the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) Park Operations Team. The DRWC’s ambitious sustainability goals enabled KieranTimberlake to pursue a high-performance building design with a target goal of net zero energy consumption and net zero carbon. The project is targeting to meet both the LEED Platinum certification and Zero Carbon Certification through the International Living Future Institute. It is projected to be Philadelphia’s first mass timber and net zero structure for public use.
Collaborating Firm/Landscape Architect: Hargreaves Jones
Owner/Developer: Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
LEED Consulting: Sustainable Design Consultant, Inc.
MERIT AWARDS
SAM OBERTER PHOTOGRAPHY
MERIT + SUSTAINABILITY: GENERAL BUILT RE:VISION ARCHITECTURE | FAHY COMMONS
Fahy Commons, Muhlenberg College’s first new campus building since 2006, is a tangible example of the school’s commitment to sustainability. Starting with a modest goal of LEED-Silver equivalent, Fahy Commons grew to embody that commitment in the course of design. In addition to receiving LEED Platinum certification, the multi-purpose 20,000 squarefoot building is the first Living Building Challenge Core Certified project in the world and is on track to receive Passive House Certification. Beyond its sustainability certifications, Fahy delights the senses and has become a beloved model for future campus buildings, achieving its ambitious energy goals despite serving a higher number of students for longer operating hours than designed because of its popularity.
Owner/Developer: Muhlenberg College
Structural Engineer: O’Donnell & Naccarato
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Building Systems Engineering Group
General Contractor: Whiting Turner
MERIT + SUSTAINABILITY: GENERAL BUILT EWINGCOLE | THE LINCOLN SCHOOLBALLFIELD ROAD CAMPUS REVITALIZATION
The Lincoln School in Massachusetts is the state’s first net zero public school renovation. The project involved renovating and expanding the existing facility, creating an innovative learning space for 650 students. The design incorporates high-efficiency systems, on-site solar PV panels, and salvaged natural materials. The school layout features grade-level neighborhoods, flexible learning spaces with operable walls, and informal learning areas to encourage collaboration and personalized instruction. The design includes new common spaces, a dining commons, and a media center. The site design integrates bioretention gardens and porous pavement paths, promoting sustainable site management and offering opportunities for outdoor education. The new school design honors the town’s architectural heritage and Modernist ideas. Extensive daylighting control strategies and passive solar shading elements enhance the school’s transparency, connection to nature, and energy efficiency.
Collaborating Firm: SMMA
Owner/Developer: Lincoln Public Schools
Structural/Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: SMMA
General Contractor: Consigli
MERIT: GENERAL BUILT
OOMBRA ARCHITECTS | BRUSH WATSON
Once a densely populated residential site, this project began on a vacant 60,000 square-foot lot made up of city owned parcels on the eastern edge of Brush Park in Detroit. The architects were charged with bringing density back in a rapidly changing neighborhood of scattered Victorian mansions and newer mixed-use developments. The project includes 10,000 square feet of retail, 300 below-grade parking spaces, including over 80 EV car chargers and 308 residential units. Fifty percent of the units are designated affordable housing, with rent and income limits ranging from 30 to 80 percent AMI. An outdoor green roof terrace anchors the southwest corner of the Brush building, a 10th story sky lounge offers expansive views of the neighborhood and city skyline, and a 1,000 square-foot community lounge draws residents and visitors. The site is within walking distance to downtown Detroit and the sports/entertainment district. Joe Louis Greenway passes Brush Watson to the south and west, creating the opportunity to open the site to the south and engage with this expansive trail connecting more than 20 miles of Detroit.
Owner/Developer: American Community Developers
Structural Engineer: JDH Engineering
Electrical Engineer: ETS Engineering
General Contractor: St. Clair Construction
JOSEPH DONAHUE
JASON KEEN
DON PEARSE, MARCO CALDERON
MERIT: GENERAL UNBUILT
MOTO DESIGNSHOP | MYERS HALL SWITCHGEAR
The Myers Hall Switchgear building embodies design excellence in synthesizing functionality and material expression. The small structure will replace the existing switchgear control room in the basement of Myers Residence Hall, a derelict building at the heart of Drexel University’s North Campus. Its demolition enabled the creation of a stunning new green space, with the caveat that a replacement structure be created in the very center of it. The new structure is wrapped by an oscillating brick screen that flays outward at two access points. This articulation creates visual interest and encourages curiosity at the heart of this student green space.
Owner/Developer: Drexel University
Structural Engineer: David Mason
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: P-Squared
General Contractor: FGX Group
Landscape: Andropogon
MERIT: GENERAL BUILT
EWINGCOLE | GRAHAM ATHLETICS AND WELLNESS CENTER
MERIT AWARDS
William Penn Charter School, the oldest Quaker school in the country, strives to create a learning environment where arts and athletics flourish side by side with scholastic achievement. To accommodate over 900 students, Penn Charter needed to build a facility to support the athletic program and serve the needs of the broader student population, including K-12 physical education. The Center accommodates multiple wellness programs in addition to various recreational and competitive athletic programs. Two competition-level basketball courts, four practice cross courts, recreation and training facilities, a climbing wall, a concessions area, and a nutrition center support the school’s belief that these activities allow students to become “strong, creative, resilient and flexible people.” Support spaces include locker rooms and team rooms, a training room with hydrotherapy, and an athletics administrative suite. The wellness program is also anchored by an open multi-story lounge space featuring a nutrition bar and flexible classroom spaces that are used for a variety of purposes, including traditional instruction and team meetings.
Owner/Developer: William Penn Charter School
Structural Engineer: O’Donnell & Naccarato
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Schiller and Hersh Associates, Inc.
General Contractor: INTECH Construction
MERIT: GENERAL BUILT
OOMBRA ARCHITECTS
| KENSINGTON NATIONAL BANK
The Kensington National Bank first opened its doors on February 23, 1878 in Fishtown. A beautiful and ornate stone structure, it is one of the last remaining Frank Furness bank buildings left standing in Philadelphia. Back in 1887, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that “the building was an ornament and commanded great admiration.” OOMBRA certainly felt the weight of that statement, and approached the new wrap-around building delicately and with sensitivity to its historic legacy. The design takes cues from the bank regarding scale and material. The primary material along the outer wrapper of the building is a light grey complimentary brick with select pockets of decoration and modern brick detailing. A new residential portion of the building includes 60 units, 20 bike parking spaces, amenity space, and a roof deck looking back at Center City.
Owner/Developer: Alterra Property Group
Structural Engineer: Structure Labs, LLC
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: Advanced Engineering, Inc.
General Contractor: Reed Street Builders
HALKIN/MASON PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC
OOMBRA ARCHITECTS
MOTO DESIGNSHOP
MERIT: GENERAL BUILT
DIGSAU | CAMDEN PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL
This project restores and revitalizes an abandoned and contaminated industrial site, and connects neighborhood residents with vital educational and athletic resources. The building’s street frontage stitches together a neglected portion of Copewood Street and reinforces neighborhood connections to an elementary school on one end of the block and a public park on the other. The building massing creates a courtyard facing the athletic fields, emphasizes the street corner, and focuses views on the surrounding neighborhood. Large glazed openings provide ample natural light, showcase the activities of the school, and promote use by the community. In addition to classrooms, the new high school features a turf field, science labs, performing arts rooms, a commons, and a multi-purpose gym. The building was designed to provide a safe and welcoming environment. On the ground floor, an abundantly lit lobby, spacious hallways, and an activated student commons flank an outdoor courtyard and athletic fields. Large expanses of glass provide views and foster a sense of community. A simple building form minimizes blind spots for safety, while large windows and textured cladding create human-scaled proportions across an otherwise imposing facade. A considered approach to lighting and landscaping promotes security.
The Community Center is a space that serves uses from the sacred to the profane. The gentle curves of the glass enclosure bound the vertical. The complex, wood-grilled ceiling planes push outward to finish the enclosure. Amongst the interplay of the geometry of the building, many functions need to take place with varying program requirements. The sports function is supported by a retracting basketball hoop that recesses into the ceiling without a trace. Find a manufacturer willing to work on a non-solely athletic installation was a big win.
Structural Engineer: Harrison-Hamnett
General Contractor: DVP Construction Group
DIVINE DETAIL
CANNODESIGN
| MURMURATION
Murmuration in North Philadelphia is a boutique multi-family project focused on students and aimed at providing an elevated experience while remaining accessible. The project features a signature, if not iconographic, façade and unique interior details that set it apart in a market that is often standardized and sterile.
Owner/Developer: Vikara Social Development
Structural Engineer: Poulsen and Associates
Electrical/Mechanical Engineer: UR Engineering
General Contractor: Vikara Social Construction
OM MEDIA
HALKIN/MASON PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC
Architectural Roof and Floor Deck Ceiling Systems
Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar, California designed by QDG Architects achieved a LEED® Gold certification. Toris creates the visually appealing highly light-reflective acoustical roof deck ceiling system. These systems offer long spans up to 30 feet helping to create a distinctive architectural focal point and the Toris high recycled content contributes to LEED certification. Contact EPIC Metals for your next project.
