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Site Plan
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Floor Plan
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The length of the building façade is punctuated by a full-height main lobby and topped with an illuminated lantern, a beacon to the area.
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The main entry is a contemporary but contextual deconstruction of the austere colonial revival architecture prevalent on the campus.
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The exterior colonial revival architecture is prevalent on the campus.
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The building is partially clad in Wissahickon schist from the Wissahickon Stone Quarry, the oldest and last remaining schist quarry in the nation
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The building is partially clad in Wissahickon schist from the Wissahickon Stone Quarry, the oldest and last remaining schist quarry in the nation The main entry is a contemporary but contextual deconstruction of the austere colonial revival architecture prevalent on the campus. A 3-story back-lit atrium feature wall with acoustic panels and undulating Corian reflects daylight from the windows.
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In the main lobby, provides welcome daylight for students and visitors.
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Full-height glass walls visually link the campus landscape with interior spaces.
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The courts and practice rooms were all designed using the most durable, quality material.
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Windows at ground level illuminate the sunken full-sized basketball courts that provide ample space for various activities.
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A balcony and bridge overlooking the courts allow access from the existing football stadium to the new athletic center.
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To encourage excellence in wellness and athletics, professional-level equipment in the weight room supports the students’ athletic endeavors.
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Adjacent to the lobby, a 30-foot tall climbing wall offers students a rounded athletic experience.
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Halkin/Mason Photography, LLC
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Halkin/Mason Photography, LLC
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Halkin/Mason Photography, LLC
PROJECT NARRARTIVE
William Penn Charter School needed a facility to support one of the most extensive athletic programs of Pennsylvania Independent Schools as well as serve the needs of its 900-student population, including K-12 physical education. The extensive wellness and athletics programs at Penn Charter are designed to provide the opportunity for every student to participate and flourish.
EwingCole worked closely with the institution to program and plan the new facility, focusing on what students need to thrive and make a difference in the 21st Century. The exterior of the new facility is a contemporary deconstruction of the colonial revival architecture prevalent on the campus which features regimented facades, schist stonework, and white trim.
The interior spaces, with clear lines of sight through to campus and washed in daylight, evoke the values of a Quaker education: simplicity, transparency, and community. The Center includes two competition-level basketball courts, four practice cross courts, recreation and training facilities, a climbing wall, a concessions area, and a nutrition center support the school’s belief that these activities allow students to become “strong, creative, resilient and flexible people.” Support spaces include locker rooms and team rooms, a training room with hydrotherapy, and an athletics administrative suite.
William Penn Charter School, Graham Athletics & Wellness Center
Category
Combined-Level School
Description
Owner
William Penn Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
Architecture Firm
EwingCole
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
ewingcole.com
Photography By:
Halkin/Mason Photography, LLC
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