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Biotech Commons, University of Pennsylvania
Biotech Commons, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Other Projects by Voith & Mactavish Architects LLP
Biotech Commons, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Voith and Mactavish Architects LLP (VMA) transforms an outdated biomedical library at the University of Pennsylvania into Biotech Commons, an open center for cross-disciplinary learning, prototyping, and collaboration.
The renovation rethinks what a university library can be in an era when book reference and individual research have given way to digital learning, hands-on making, and transdisciplinary exploration. Gone are the carrels and the stacks, replaced with tech-integrated conference spaces, collaboration classrooms with moveable furniture and boards, and a digital fabrication lab equipped with modeling tools and 3D printers.
Leveraging its location at the intersection of several University Schools—including the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Sciences, and Engineering—the
renovation recasts Biotech Commons as a crossroads where scholars from these disciplines can exchange ideas.
“The idea of a library as a quiet, formal space for reference is out-of-step with the future of learning,” says Sennah Loftus, associate principal at VMA and lead designer for the project. “We thought of Biotech Commons as a hub—a truly active place where engineers can come in and talk with the Medical Group over lunch, or industry leaders can meet with students to prototype a new idea together in the fabrication lab.”
Each of the spaces—from the conference centers and study rooms to the fabrication shops—is free to be scheduled by any student. And unlike typical University libraries, Biomedical Commons does not require a Penn ID for access, making it a barrier-free place that drives innovation by inviting professionals, students, and community members together to collaborate.
Achieving this vision required substantial changes to the existing building, both inside and out. Housed in a brick structure from the late 1960s, the original library was unassuming, with dark interiors that felt cut-off from Hamilton Walk.
“You could walk past it without even realizing it was there,” says Loftus.
VMA’s renovation changes that, replacing the brick facade with floor-to-ceiling windows at ground level. This opens up the building to the campus, allowing passersby on Hamilton Walk to see inside and bringing natural light to the once-gloomy interiors. Reading areas and lounges for informal group work line the windows, activating the facade and offering daylit spaces with views out to campus.
At the heart of the plan are clusters of adaptable group workspaces. Accommodating anywhere from 4 to 12 people, these allow students to have
impromptu breakout sessions and meetings. They are arrayed on an open plan, making for a buzzing and atmosphere where students can see and overhear one another’s work.
Beyond this are smaller, semi-private spaces collaboration, including conference centers and adaptable classrooms. Here, students can shut themselves off from the surroundings and work together in a highly focused way. Each of these rooms is acoustically treated, making for completely soundproof environments that eliminate distractions and allow groups to have spirited conversations and work sessions without disrupting others.
The redesign also introduces a large gathering and meeting space that can host up to 80 people and be flexibly adapted for a range of uses. Typically set up as a reading room, the space can be seamlessly converted to host receptions, roundtable discussions, and symposia.
The renovation was planned around the sensitive laboratory environments above and below Biotech Commons. The basement hosts a morgue and a Zebrafish laboratory—a space of floor-to-ceiling aquariums vulnerable to even minor sound vibrations. Above Biotech Commons are biomedical laboratories with specialized equipment served by glass pipes running through the building. VMA’s renovation takes a surgical approach, reconfiguring the floor in the least invasive way possible and integrating new MEP systems without disturbing the sensitive surroundings.
Throughout, finishes were selected for durability, environmental friendliness, and ease-of-maintenance, lowering Biotech Commons’ lifecycle carbon footprint and operating costs. The building also hosts one of the first gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, advancing an important university initiative. Other elements—like wirelessly automatic door operators—maximize health and safety for the post-COVID-19 world.
The renovation rethinks what a university library can be in an era when book reference and individual research have given way to digital learning, hands-on making, and transdisciplinary exploration. Gone are the carrels and the stacks, replaced with tech-integrated conference spaces, collaboration classrooms with moveable furniture and boards, and a digital fabrication lab equipped with modeling tools and 3D printers.
Leveraging its location at the intersection of several University Schools—including the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Sciences, and Engineering—the
renovation recasts Biotech Commons as a crossroads where scholars from these disciplines can exchange ideas.
“The idea of a library as a quiet, formal space for reference is out-of-step with the future of learning,” says Sennah Loftus, associate principal at VMA and lead designer for the project. “We thought of Biotech Commons as a hub—a truly active place where engineers can come in and talk with the Medical Group over lunch, or industry leaders can meet with students to prototype a new idea together in the fabrication lab.”
Each of the spaces—from the conference centers and study rooms to the fabrication shops—is free to be scheduled by any student. And unlike typical University libraries, Biomedical Commons does not require a Penn ID for access, making it a barrier-free place that drives innovation by inviting professionals, students, and community members together to collaborate.
Achieving this vision required substantial changes to the existing building, both inside and out. Housed in a brick structure from the late 1960s, the original library was unassuming, with dark interiors that felt cut-off from Hamilton Walk.
“You could walk past it without even realizing it was there,” says Loftus.
VMA’s renovation changes that, replacing the brick facade with floor-to-ceiling windows at ground level. This opens up the building to the campus, allowing passersby on Hamilton Walk to see inside and bringing natural light to the once-gloomy interiors. Reading areas and lounges for informal group work line the windows, activating the facade and offering daylit spaces with views out to campus.
At the heart of the plan are clusters of adaptable group workspaces. Accommodating anywhere from 4 to 12 people, these allow students to have
impromptu breakout sessions and meetings. They are arrayed on an open plan, making for a buzzing and atmosphere where students can see and overhear one another’s work.
Beyond this are smaller, semi-private spaces collaboration, including conference centers and adaptable classrooms. Here, students can shut themselves off from the surroundings and work together in a highly focused way. Each of these rooms is acoustically treated, making for completely soundproof environments that eliminate distractions and allow groups to have spirited conversations and work sessions without disrupting others.
The redesign also introduces a large gathering and meeting space that can host up to 80 people and be flexibly adapted for a range of uses. Typically set up as a reading room, the space can be seamlessly converted to host receptions, roundtable discussions, and symposia.
The renovation was planned around the sensitive laboratory environments above and below Biotech Commons. The basement hosts a morgue and a Zebrafish laboratory—a space of floor-to-ceiling aquariums vulnerable to even minor sound vibrations. Above Biotech Commons are biomedical laboratories with specialized equipment served by glass pipes running through the building. VMA’s renovation takes a surgical approach, reconfiguring the floor in the least invasive way possible and integrating new MEP systems without disturbing the sensitive surroundings.
Throughout, finishes were selected for durability, environmental friendliness, and ease-of-maintenance, lowering Biotech Commons’ lifecycle carbon footprint and operating costs. The building also hosts one of the first gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, advancing an important university initiative. Other elements—like wirelessly automatic door operators—maximize health and safety for the post-COVID-19 world.
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