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Architects: Rafael Viñoly Architects
- Photographs: Brad Feinknopf
Text description provided by the architects. Rafael Viñoly Architects has just shared the opening of their Translational Research Center at Penn in Philadelphia with us. The project, which is part of a larger master plan for Penn Medicine, accommodates research facilities and clinical functions allowing the practices of scientific investigation and patient care to inform one another through close proximity. Building upon an existing structure, RVA's addition contributes a functionally organized facility while respecting the spirit and urban character of the Perelman Center.
More about the project and more images after the break.
The new building adds 14 stories to the west wing of the Perelman Center and consists of three addition floors for the clinical spaces of the original Center, toped by seven stories of laboratory research floors. The two zones are separated by an interstitial mechanical level.
Louvered windows on the vivarium levels admit natural light while reducing disturbances to the research program. Three animal-imaging MRI stations are located on the first floor above the proton therapy gantries in the basement to accommodate shared proton services. Above the vivarium levels, five floors of open, flexible research labs feature thirty-six lab modules per floor and can accommodate 105 researchers.
The laboratory bench space achieves a new level of flexibility as they can be reconfigured or completely removed and replaced with computer workstations or traditional offices. Furniture and lab benches are “plugged” into gas, electric and data systems that are available in a regular floor grid. On a day-to-day basis, users control their environment through personal task lighting and adjustable-height lab benches.
All photographs by Brad Feinknopf
