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Project Details
Architect: Thompson,
Ventulett, Stainback And Associates
Award: National AIA Award for Regional and Urban
Design 2000
Implementation Status: Completed and occupied for
ten years. TVS Assoc. develops a new addition and renovations in
2006.
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Background
TVS was asked to perform one of its primary strengths in
transforming a blighted pocket of downtown Philadelphia by creating
an economic engine in the form of a world-class convention center.
The challenge to the TVS design team was twofold. First, they had
to place their design in a tight, heavily urbanized space right in
the center of downtown. Clear glass and daylighting provide
transparency and a friendly face to the building's urban context.
Secondly, preservation of the historical and aesthetic qualities of
Philadelphia's downtown was essential to the design of the project.
The facility is made up of two distinct, but functionally
integrated elements; an Exhibition Building, comprising totally new
construction. The Exhibition Building houses the facility's exhibit
halls, two thirds of its meeting rooms and the major support and
service spaces for the facility. In addition the project also
includes the adaptive reuse of the historic Reading Railroad Train
Shed, built in 1893, which was renovated as a vital part of the
convention facility. The renovated Train Shed includes the Grand
Ballroom, one thirds of the project's meeting rooms and the
majestic, 50,000-square-foot Grand Hall which preserves the full
90-foot height and 260-foot width of the original Shed
structure.
Implementation Status
The Pennsylvania Convention Center has been open for more than
ten years and plans are now underway for a major expansion designed
by TVS. The process began in 1983 when TVS helped win a competition
for the new convention center and hotel, led by the development arm
of Reading Railroad. The ownership evolved from private to public -
the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority led by Willard Rouse -
and in 1988 design work began. Construction of the exhibition halls
was completed in 1993 followed a year later by the opening of the
Train Shed.
Among the major design challenges was the preservation of the 90
foot high 260 foot wide volume of the 1893 Train Shed which is the
last three hinged wrought iron trussed train shed in the United
States. It was critical the design reveal as much as possible of
that landmark structure while also housing a large percentage of
the required building spaces. In order to meet both these
objectives, half the Train Shed was preserved in it entire volume
and became the Grand Hall, the major entry point to the center. The
other half was occupied by meeting rooms and the 33,000 square foot
ballroom.
Public Process
Throughout the design process TVS met with the Philadelphia Art
Commission, the historical boards of the city and state, as well as
numerous neighborhood groups. Work sessions were also conducted
with prospective user groups - trade show and professional
organizations - to solicit their input for the design. Many of the
comments received were focused on improving the streetscape and
pedestrian experience. All of these work sessions were extremely
fruitful in guiding and enhancing the final design.
From design and construction contract awards to project profiles,
the Pennsylvania Convention Center was widely covered in the news
media. In August 1988, Engineering News Record reported the award
of the design contract to TVS. Project obstacles were reported by
numerous sources, including the Philadelphia Inquirer report in
1990 citing two obstacles delaying construction - a dispute between
the City and Reading Company over access to the Train Shed, and a
lawsuit by city contractor groups challenging the Authority's
minority contracting program. As the end of construction drew
nearer, articles, such as one in the Washington Post in July 1994,
focused more on the new vitality brought to Center City
Philadelphia by the Convention Center and other surrounding
development projects.
Community Impact
Before opening, the Pennsylvania Convention Center was
anticipated to produce more than 4,000 new jobs: Nearly $150
million in annual wage and salary income and visitors to the region
were expected to add approximately $275 million in new spending
every year after ten years of full operations.
Throughout the past tens year these goals have been met and the
Center has helped bring new life into Central Philadelphia. The
Convention Center has helped spark the development of more than
3,000 new hotel rooms and associated retail facilities. The
facility also promotes area artists by exhibiting more than 100
works in the Center's public spaces. A hospitality education and
training program is also operated out of the Center in conjunction
with Philadelphia area schools and nonprofit community
organizations. According to the Urban Land Institute, "The
Pennsylvania Convention Center has energized its downtown
neighborhood and brought Philadelphia back as a major player in the
tourism and hospitality market. A central downtown location and a
design that opens to the street and blends with its surroundings
distinguish this from most other major convention centers. More
than a successful convention center, it is also a premier civic
space, a destination in its own right."
Lessons Learned
The community of Philadelphia and surrounding areas have
embraced the Pennsylvania Convention Center and see it as a
catalyst for positive change for many reasons. Architecturally the
space was woven into the urban fabric of the city instead of
overwhelming it surroundings. In addition the project preserved and
restored historic buildings while giving them new function. This
success has led the community to support a major expansion in an
effort to continually reap the economic benefits of the convention
and meetings industry.
Principles for Livable Communities
Unlike many large convention centers which are massive boxes
whose appearance and presence overwhelms its surroundings, the
Pennsylvania Convention Center uses adequate scaling and massing
along with materials common to area in an effort to weave the
building into its surroundings. At street level the concourse wraps
around three sides of the Exhibition Building with meeting and
retail components to enliven and encourage interaction at street
level. Patterned brick walkways framed by trees and planters anchor
the building into its urban setting. The Train Shed, which was in a
state of disrepair, was restored as one of the city's treasure
cultural landmarks. This restoration sparked similar efforts in the
surrounding neighborhood as well. The Reading Terminal Headhouse
was renovated into a retail/commercial center and hotel. The
headhouse serves as the new entrance to the convention center and
links it to a new 1200-room hotel, the city's largest mall,
regional rail lines leading to the airport, and the downtown public
transportation hub. Also refurbished was the 150-year-old Reading
Terminal Market which features ethnic foods and a large farmers'
market, located under the Train Shed on street level.
Overall Sustainable Contribution
This facility has fostered the continued revitalization of a
district that had fallen behind other areas of the city in the pace
of positive growth and redevelopment. The influx of conventioneers
has stimulated retail uses and the development of hotels in the
area, while also restoring property values and tax revenues in this
part of the City. Elevating the exhibit hall above street level
allowed the market-driven scope of the project to be accommodated
in the limited and cost-intensive land area of the urban site. In
addition, the adaptive reuse of the Train Shed reduced the amount
of required building footprint for a new Exhibition Building and
preserved the grandeur of the last remaining free-span arch train
shed in the country. Windows in the sides and of the Shed and
skylights in the roof were restored to allow gracious amounts of
natural light to filter into the main spaces and reduce the need
for artificial lighting during daytime activities. The restoration
of this historic treasure should give this significant structure
another 100 years of service to the downtown core of
Philadelphia.
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