HILL COLLEGE HOUSE, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Mills + Schnoering Architects LLC
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Floss Barber Inc.
KNOLL DEALER: CFI
MATERIALS
Designed by Eero Saarinen and built in 1960, Hill College House underwent a 15-month, $80 million renovation. One of 12 undergraduate residential houses at the university, Hill College House features more public and communal space than any other campus residence. The scope of the renovation included 195,000 square feet, which encompassed six floors, three private offices, five sets of workstations, seven conference rooms, three lounge spaces and one cafeteria.
Although the architecture continued to foster a strong sense of community, the dated systems, worn finishes and lack of air-conditioning made the building unappealing to prospective residents. Design objectives included strengthening communal living at the heart of Hill College House’s original design; respecting the historic materials and details; creating comfortable, welcoming and accessible student accommodations; and attaining LEED Gold certification.
Flooring patterns, finish selections and furniture took cues from mid-century modern design and details found in Saarinen’s other work. For one of the study areas that overlooks the main atrium, the team mixed workstations and Saarinen Executive Swivel chairs with adjacent refuge spaces composed of Saarinen Womb Chairs and Florence Knoll sofas. One level up, there is an outdoor space that feeds light into the building through the large floor-to-ceiling windows.
Rather than leave this space empty, the team proposed and installed 1966 Dining Tables with Spark side chairs and Maya Lin Stones. Together these products provide a pop of color and enable students to study or gather outside.
SEATING, TABLES, TEXTILES MANUFACTURER: Knoll
PHOTO: KNOLL