Athenaeum AdditionPhiladelphia

Athenaeum of Philadelphia is an Italianate revival style building to collect drawings and books of Humanities and Fine arts. This project is to design the addition to the Athenaeum at Washington Square in Philadelphia. In particular, to express the importance of this historical institution and secure its importance for Philadelphia into the future. This includes spaces for a gallery presenting a city model of Philadelphia, a digital research lab, a lecture space for 320 people, and a researcher/artist-in-residence guesthouse.

The Italianate revival building has elegant ornamental cornice, elaborate wrap-around windows and a clear "three parts" facade. The new addition is put in juxtaposition with the old building and follows the logic of the Italianate facade. The new roof mimics the rhythm of the old roof by using modern materials and structure. The mechanism of the roof pursues the integration of architecture aesthetics and technical systems.

The building has an introvert characteristic. From outside it is heavy, solid and humble compared to the surrounding buildings. But from inside it is open, well-lighted and has very joyful space and tour sequence. The addition building respects and keeps old building’s aesthetic and spatial features. It is designed to attract people to come in and guide people to explore the historical building in a new way.

The second floor of old Athenaeum building is the most open and stylish part of the building and entirely devoted to two spacious reading rooms. The new addition with stepped floors creates an atrium to extend the openness of the old building. The new second floor contains a display area of the Philadelphia city model, which can be viewed from both the second floor and the third floor.

The back side of the building contains coffee shop on the first floor; rare drawing display area and multimedia room on the second floor; and meeting room on the third floor. The first-floor space needs transparency and the second and third-floor space needs privacy.

Existing Athenaeum

Diagram

Section

The addition’s floor plates

ProgramNew stairs and elevator

Envelope

Glazing Facade with shading system

Auditorium

Exhibition

Seperated Mechnical Area

Multi-media Rooms

Conference Area

Book Storage

City Model Display

Mechanical Area

Coffee Area

Glass Roof

Aluminum Panels

Upper: Front Elevation Lower: Side Elevation

Back Wall Section and Details

1 Office2 ADA Guestroom3 Guest Room4 Recreation Area5 Conference Room6 Meeting Room7 Platform8 Bathroom9 Open to Below

3rd Floor Plan

1 Exhibition

2 Chestroom

3 Reading Room

4 City Model

5 Media Room

6 Gallery Space

7 Open to Below

2rd Floor Plan

1 Main Entrance

2 Entrance Hall

3 Gallery

4 Reception Room

5 Board Room

6 Documentation Room

7 Gift Shop

8 Back Entrance

9 Cafe

10 Eatery

11 Stair Forum

12 Garden

G Floor Plan

1 Collection2 Projector Room3 Restroom4 Auditorium5 Audio Room6 Corridor7 Rare Book Room8 Storage

-1 Floor Plan

1 Collection2 Open to the Mech. Room Below3 Auditorium4 Corridor5 Changing Room6 Storage

-2 Floor Plan

Floor Plans

Structure