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Architects: HWKN, KSS Architects
- Area: 69 ft²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Michael Moran
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Manufacturers: Bohle, Doug Mockett & Company, East Coast Metal System, Edge, Haas, Hakatai, Halliday+Baillie, McMaster-Carr, Summit Appliances
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Architect of Record: KSS Architects
An Icon for Innovation
The Pennovation Center is a 20th century paint factory, transformed into a 21st century idea factory. The building is the centerpiece of a new, twenty-three acre development at the University of Pennsylvania known as Pennovation Works.
While much of the building is occupied by shared wet labs and efficient coworking areas, key social spaces tempt entrepreneurs to leave their desks and engage with their colleagues. These spaces are tucked into a new angular facade that reaches outward towards the Schuylkill River, featuring a conference room, coworking counter with a view of campus and the city, and bleacher seating where inventors can share ideas, pitch to investors, and gain crucial perspective. The building inspires creativity within, while simultaneously telling the world outside that Penn is committed to putting knowledge into action for the greater good.
“This is a unique business and technology incubator where innovators’ ideas go to work,” said Anne Papageorge, Vice President of Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services. “The Center is designed to bring together the University’s eminent researchers and students, along with the private sector, to foster creative exploration, entrepreneurship, new alliances, and generate economic development for the region.”
“Having personally navigated through the startup experience ourselves when we launched Hollwich Kushner and Architizer, we understand the needs and challenges of emerging companies,” said Hollwich Kushner Principal, Marc Kushner.
“Inventors love to invent things. That means a lot of time spent in labs hunched over workbenches and computers. We wanted to create a building that encouraged entrepreneurs to get up from their labs and pitch their ideas and socialize with their colleagues. That's why we took all of the social action of the building and packed it into the spiky geometric facade” added Matthias Hollwich of Hollwich Kushner.
A beacon for the next generation of entrepreneurship in the region, the Pennovation Center will advance the dynamic role of the University as both an inspiration for and a facilitator of cutting-edge invention.
