PZS ARCHITECTS
Firm Profile PZS Architects strikes a balance between collaboration and creativity, working with clients to understand their needs and designing solutions to help meet their goals. PZS identifies each project and client as a unique opportunity to provide form to our clients’ aspirations with our fresh perspective and flexible approach to achieve projects that exceed expectations and deliver elegant results. We engage our clients with ongoing and open dialogue so that every project is grounded in a realistic understanding of the project’s purpose and the client’s parameters. Through this collaboration, we strive to create architecture that enriches people’s lives and elevates the human spirit. PZS Architects was founded as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in 1993. Since then PZS has established a diverse portfolio of educational, corporate, commercial, and residential work. Approaching every project as a unique challenge, and allowing its uniqueness to present opportunities, has earned us commissions varying in size and scope. Each reflects our design team’s shared attention to detail and commitment to involving all of a project’s stakeholders. The firm was founded in 1993 by partners David Polatnick, AIA, and Mario Zacharjasz, AIA, and with partner Michael Skolnick, AIA, they share practice management responsibilities and lead a staff of design professionals committed both to the highest quality of design and to our clients. The firm’s collaborative approach ensures that everyone is motivated and energized by the design process. We measure project success by the relationships we develop with clients, and the way architecture enhances our clients’ lives and businesses. Our clients often share with us their repeat projects – and their friendship – for just this reason.
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Partnership MARIO ZACHARJASZ, AIA Recognized by many as the face of PZS Architects, Mario Zacharjasz exudes an energy that inspires the firm and its clients. His 25 years of experience include an emphasis on educational, multi-family housing, and civic architecture for clients ranging from the School District of Philadelphia to the Army Corps of Engineers. Born in Cuba, Mario moved to the US when he was three years old and continues to maintain strong ties to his heritage and the local Latin American community. Mario is dedicated to Philadelphia’s non-profit organizations; actively working with groups such as Esperanza, the Salvation Army and Aspira, Inc. Mario is a former President of the AIA, an executive board member and past board president of the Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mario serves on the Mayor’s Commission for Construction Industry Diversity, and was recently appointed by the Mayor to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation Board. He serves on the Board of Managers for Moore College of Art and Design and is a former board member with the United Way of South Eastern Pennsylvania.
DAVID POLATNICK, AIA It was David’s entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm that started PZS Architects. ce and to clients as a dedicated and sensitive designer with a great eye for details and the ability to take every stakeholder’s needs into consideration. His honest passion for his work has endeared many clients with whom he has made lasting friendships. David’s more than 25 years of professional experience have included the planning and design of large-scale retail shopping centers as well as historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects, where he is particularly adept at breathing new life into old or outdated buildings. David received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Temple University.
MICHAEL SKOLNICK, AIA A partner in PZS Architects since 1998, Michael guides the firm’s design with his critical thinking and organization. Michael’s keen understanding of programming and planning sets the tone for each projects success. Whether working to further refine a design to meet a client’s needs or steering a project to proceed as planned, he is committed to high levels of client service and architectural excellence. His 30+ years of professional experience have included pharmaceutical, institutional, and corporate projects, as well as designs for high-end multifamily residential projects. Michael earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Temple University and is a former president of AIA Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, and is a trustee at The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
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BREASTCANCER.ORG Ardmore, PA Completed in 2015 + Workplace modernization + Phased construction, occupied building
PZS Architects was engaged by US Realty, the building’s owner and manager to design the 5,550 SF space for the tenant, Breastcancer. org. The client was looking to create a flexible workplace to facilitate high levels of interpersonal communication for teams and project groups, and also maintain work environment that supports individual tasks. Our goal was to provide alternative work spaces for staff to accommodate varying work styles. To accomplish this, PZS designed the space to include collaborative workspaces, conference rooms constructed of full glass walls, and designed smaller conference rooms to serve as meeting space, breakout space and team tables. PZS planned support functions (such as storage, meeting spaces, etc.) as hubs to increase planning efficiency and encourage social interaction. We introduced in formal seating in the form of nodes to encourage informal interaction, networking, sharing and learning.
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Cohen Seglias Office Fit-Out Philadelphia, PA 29,250 SF $2,340,000 construction costs
Concilio Philadelphia, PA The new office space provides an additional 10,000 SF and also features a large parking lot. PZS designed the office with bright colors that reflect Concilio's vibrant culture and warm welcoming environment. The space allows Concilio to provide new resources including three private family rooms for visitations, three hotel-style workstations for public use, two computer labs, three new classrooms to accommodate after school programs. The space also includes a commercial kitchen and large ballroom/event space. PZS worked closely with Concilio to take a full inventory of all existing furniture, and was diligent in using existing materials when condition allowed. Concilio is the oldest Latino organization in Philadelphia and has a well-established reputation as a leader for Latino family services. As a non-profit organization, they were looking for a new, larger space that would also be closer to the community who seeks their resources. Concilio provides social, educational, prevention, and intervention services and programs to underserved young people and families in the Philadelphia region.
Fineman Krekstein Harris Law Office Fit-Out + Philadelphia, PA + Completed in 2015 + 13,500 SF + $1,080,000 construction costs
Eastern University Palmer Theological Seminary Philadelphia, PA PZS Architects is currently working with Eastern University to develop a new campus for the Palmer Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. PZS recently completed the conceptual designs for the renovation of two existing buildings connected by a new atrium addition creating one cohesive campus for the seminary students. In addition to the buildings, the site includes parking for 55 vehicles as well as outdoor gathering spaces. The 3-story building includes administrative offices for the Dean and Registrar, conference rooms, lobbies and classrooms. The design also features a chapel, library, and cafe spaces.
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
10 Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia, PA PZS Architects, in association with Robert A.M. Stern Architects, designed a world-class residential condominium tower on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The project consisted of three historic buildings that together occupy the site’s entire Walnut Street frontage will be preserved and restored as part of this project. Two of these, the Presbyterian Ministers Fund for Life Insurance Building, known as the Alison Building, at 1805 Walnut Street and the Fell-Van Renssalaer House at 1801 Walnut Street will remain as they exist except for judicious façade restoration. The third building occupying the site’s Walnut Street frontage is the historic Rittenhouse Club of Philadelphia at 1811 Walnut Street. The façade of this building is preserved while the original building’s volume is replaced by a new five-story building housing ground-floor retail with four full-floor residential condominiums above. The tower is set back behind these three buildings by approximately 110 feet and rises with a series of setbacks which provide roof terraces to a height of 396 feet. Entrances to the residential tower are located on Walnut Street, through the preserved Rittenhouse Club façade, and on 18th Street through an east-facing garden courtyard. Other than these two residential entrances, and enclosed loading docks and a parking entrance located on Sansom Street, the site’s entire frontage on Walnut, 18th, and Sansom Streets opens to retail storefronts.
Part of the amenities floor includes a fitness center, yoga room, indoor lap pool, and lounge for residents. The indoor lap pool opens onto a garden terrace.
The Palmer Wynnewood, PA Completed in 2015 120,000 sf $35 million + Adaptive reuse + Historic tax credits obtained
PZS converted the four-story, 120,000 SF structure into 110 new apartments. Some of the amenities include a saltwater pool, fitness center and yoga room, a community garden, guest suite, and 24-hour doorman and concierge desk. The Palmer is a $35 million conversion of the former Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, which, in its first incarnation was the Green Hill Farms Hotel. This project received NPS historic tax credits and involved working with the NPS office of Interiors; in addition, this project takes place in a congested urban area on Philadelphia’s Main Line at the corner of City Avenue. PZS completed the design of this project, while working on several other projects, both in the Philadelphia area and across the state of Pennsylvania.
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RESIDENTIAL ADAPTIVE REUSE + RENOVATION
The Salvation Army Ray + Joan Kroc Community Center Philadelphia, PA 130,000 SF $73 million Completed in 2010
CIVIC COMMUNITY CENTER
The Salvation Army Kroc Community Center is a 130,000 SF facility is situated on a 12.4-acre former brownfield site in North Philadelphia. The facility features a worship and performing arts center, a small chapel, community rooms, a teen activities center and game room, aquatics center, sports training, recreation center, and recording studio. The building was designed around a light-filled, curved civic space from which entrances to all major program facilities are accessed including the fitness center, childcare center, and places for worship. Wrapped in south-facing glass, this two-story grand hallway extends outdoors, connecting interior programs with the central green and campus.
THE GYMNASIUM This lofty, sunlit room was designed as a dynamic space to host sports games and activities, as well as large assemblies, presentations, and dinners. The gymnasium features a cushioned wood oor, 6 retractable basketball hoops, 2 volleyball nets, wall-mounted scoreboards, built-in spectator seating for 220 guests, and a mesh room divider. Wood and acoustic wall panels, high-volume speakers, and portable audio-visual equipment were designed to provide the best response for multiple uses. This 7,600 SF gymnasium has a maximum capacity of 500 guests and offers exible furniture arrangements that can accommodate up to 400 guests for a dinner or presentation.
MODERN FITNESS STUDIO The 13,100 SF fitness center features two floors of fitness equipment and on-site trainers. Free weights, stretching areas, an indoor cycling studio, and two adjacent exercise studios complement the abundance of cardio and circuit training equipment.
THE AQUATICS CENTER includes a 25 meter swimming pool for training and competition, a leisure pool with a helix water slide, two lap lanes, zero entry into a children's play area, and a current river.
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Morgan Hall Temple University Philadelphia, PA 3 Buildings + Terrace Area 364 units total 300,000 GSF 27-story tower 300,000 GSF 10-story mid-rise 56,000 GSF 3-Story Dining Building 45,000 GSF terrace (plus garage / loading below) 1,285 beds, primarily in 4-bed, 1,000 SF suites
PZS Architects is part of the project team who designed Temple University’s newest residential and dining comple which is comprised of 1,285 student beds organized in several suite configurations. Both the Tower and Midrise lobbies are entered from an elevated Terrace that was constructed over a plaza deck above a parking/service level situated at and below street level. The primary goal of this facility was to house students, but just as important, the University wanted to provide a better sense of community for the students. The facility is one of the largest student residential complexes in the city, and has added to the Philadelphia skyline, while providing a sense of community to the students at Temple University. PZSARCHITECTS.COM
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Esperanza Campus Expansion Philadelphia, PA
PZS Architects completed the master plan for Esperanza's campus located at Fifth and Bristol Streets. The 8-acre campus includes three former industrial buildings totaling 210,000 SF of space which houses Esperanza’s headquarters and administrative offices, a technology based high school, and a junior college, a medical practice, Esperanza Academy Charter School, and a workforce development program. PZS is currently working on the design of a 100,000 SF middle school which includes the development of a new 18,000 SF building for performing arts and physical education, that includes a black box theatre, gallery, meeting rooms, and a gymnasium as well as additional parking facilities. The project will also modify site circulation patterns to accommodate vehicular and pedestrian access to the new facilities and to increase parking on site. PZS is also recently completed a 40,000 SF expansion of Esperanza's Junior College, which opened in 2000 as a branch campus of Eastern University, that includes energy-saving design improvements to accommodate students from the sixth grade through junior college, and will also provide office space for social services agencies to serve the community. The campus is located in North Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood, an area categorized as being “severely distressed” by the New Markets Tax Credit criteria.
Gallery
Reception
Black Box Theater
Grand Salon
Library
The Trujillo Center Philadelphia, PA
The Trujillo Center is a dual purpose facility, home to the Pan American Academy Charter School and the North Philadelphia location of Harcum College Congreso de Latinos Unidos. Harcum College launched their accelerated associate’s degree program in 2005 with one concentration: Leadership studies. Since then, Harcum has added additional majors and satellite campuses throughout the region. Harcum has partnered with Congreso de Latinos Unidos, a nationally recognized community based non-profit organization primarily serving eastern North Philadelphia neighborhoods. They have been providing human services for more than 30 years with a focus on education and employment. early childhood education, human services, law and justice and leadership development. PZS worked with Congreso and an Owner's Representative to survey multiple locations in order to select the most appropriate site for the new facility. The center also includes a counseling suite that provides counseling for families in the surrounding community.
Completed in 2012 60,000 SF $13 million The center was designed with two entrances to accommodate the vast age range of students. Older students enter the through the two story lobby accessed from North American Street. Kindergarten students enter through a separate entrance accessed from the courtyard. The Cambria Street wing holds the administrative and counseling suites, kindergarten rooms, ESL and special education rooms. The North American Street wing contains the music classroom, kitchen and cafetorium. The three-story wing includes administration and kindergarten classrooms on the first floor and classrooms for older students on the second and third floors. The two story blue form contains the school’s art classroom and technology center on the second floor and the Library on the third floor. The lower wing houses music classroom and a combination auditorium / cafeteria with additional classrooms above. The building’s materials reflect the reality of trying to maximize academic spaces on a limited budget and alludes to the areas industrial legacy. Contrasting colors and materials are used throughout to energize the interior spaces and create depth on the façade.
VETERINARY SPECIALTY + EMERGENCY CENTER Levittown, PA
PZS Architects designed this 21,000 SF state-of-the-art animal healthcare facility, which provides 24-hour emergency medical and surgical services. The facility accommodates a staff of surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, emergency care doctors, and an acupuncturist. The facility includes generous reception and waiting areas, workspaces, and support space for 25 doctors and staff, along with 12 exam rooms. The technical spaces include two surgical suites, a radiology room, a CT room, an MRI and Specialty Procedures room, a Linear Accelerator room and two laboratories with medical gasses as well as intensive care wards. The facility also features a large conference and presentation center for continuing education for veterinarians and technicians. VSEC provides advanced care in oncology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology, dermatology, critical care medicine, surgery, imaging and acupuncture. It offers radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats and is the first private veterinary specialty hospital in the Delaware Valley to offer radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer in pets, previously only available at the University of Pennsylvania.
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VETERINARY SPECIALTY + EMERGENCY CENTER NEW CONSTRUCTION
PZS ARCHITECTS 5312 Ridge Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19128 ph. 215 483.1915 pzsarchitects.com