Vance Hall, Wharton Graduate Center

This 98,000 square foot classroom building sits opposite the entry to Penn’s landmark Memorial Towers gothic dormitory complex. Penn to imposed a four story height limit for this building. The project was also shaped by the university’s master plan that dictated a series of open green spaces contained within perimeter blocks, leaving a relatively small slice of land to accommodate this large program. The lower, most heavily populated levels house seminar rooms, a computer center, lounges, and stepped-floor spaces used for case-study method classes. The first and second floors are linked along their entire length by a sky-lit, double-height gallery with internal windows overlooking the space. The upper levels are reserved for quieter and more private uses such as offices, study, and research.