Developers revealed the first major building at Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Yards, a $3.5 billion project for Drexel University.
Curbed Philadelphia reports that an exec from the developer, Brandywine Realty Trust, shared plans for a 700,000-sf property that will have a lab and offices.
The building will be one of the centerpieces for the project at University City, a section of the eastern edge of Philadelphia next to the Schuylkill River that houses Drexel along with the University of Pennsylvania and University of the Sciences.
With 14 acres of underutilized land and 6.5 acres of public space, SHoP Architects and West 8 will transform the neighborhood into an innovation hub. Schuylkill Yards will have a bit of everything: educational facilities, research labs, corporate offices, retail shops, and hospitality and cultural venues. The existing One Drexel Plaza will be turned into 1.3-acres worth of multifunctional public space.
“The plan envisions a new gateway to University City — one that is dynamic, diverse, open and inviting,” SHoP said on its website.
Along with the mixed-use buildings, the neighborhood will have 2 million sf of living areas, including one residential tower that will have both luxury and market rate units.
Developers expect Schuylkill Yards to generate economic growth for the city, due to its access to talented individuals and capital. A nearby Amtrak stop connects the district to cities in the Northeast Corridor, and it’s only seven miles away from the Philadelphia International Airport.
The lab and office building will not be completed until 2020 and the entire project will take 20 years to build.
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Aug 21, 2022
Top 110 Architecture/Engineering Firms for 2022
Stantec, HDR, HOK, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture engineering (AE) firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 20, 2022
Top 180 Architecture Firms for 2022
Gensler, Perkins and Will, HKS, and Perkins Eastman top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 19, 2022
2022 Giants 400 Report: Tracking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Daylighting | Aug 18, 2022
Lisa Heschong on 'Thermal and Visual Delight in Architecture'
Lisa Heschong, FIES, discusses her books, "Thermal Delight in Architecture" and "Visual Delight in Architecture," with BD+C's Rob Cassidy.
| Aug 8, 2022
Mass timber and net zero design for higher education and lab buildings
When sourced from sustainably managed forests, the use of wood as a replacement for concrete and steel on larger scale construction projects has myriad economic and environmental benefits that have been thoroughly outlined in everything from academic journals to the pages of Newsweek.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 5, 2022
A time and a place: Telling American stories through architecture
As the United States enters the year 2026, it will commence celebrating a cycle of Sestercentennials, or 250th anniversaries, of historic and cultural events across the land.
Education Facilities | Jul 26, 2022
Malibu High School gets a new building that balances environment with education
In Malibu, Calif., a city known for beaches, surf, and sun, HMC Architects wanted to give Malibu High School a new building that harmonizes environment and education.
University Buildings | Jul 6, 2022
Wenzhou-Kean University opens a campus building that bridges China’s past and future
After pandemic-related stops and starts, Wenzhou-Kean University’s Ge Hekai Hall has finally begun to see full occupancy.
Museums | Jun 28, 2022
The California Science Center breaks grounds on its Air and Space Center
The California Science Center—a hands-on science center in Los Angeles—recently broke ground on its Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
