Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
155,000 square feet
As part of Drexel's campus master plan, the university hopes to reshape a highly visible portion of the campus into a research precinct. The centerpiece of this precinct is a new research laboratory building; the first step in creating the gateway to Drexel's planned "Avenue of Technology." Burt Hill was architect and engineer of record; the design architect was Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, The design promotes a collaborative learning environment that enhances interaction among the sciences. Wet and dry flexible-use research labs, computer and testing labs, faculty offices, meeting spaces, and a 300-seat auditorium serve the Drexel science community. A glass-enclosed lobby and interior skylight-covered atrium connect the existing seven-story Commonwealth Hall with the four-level wet lab addition. A cafe, roof terrace, conference room, and meeting spaces all open into the sunlit atrium. Sustainable design practices include low temperature air distribution, thermal storage, and innovative heat recovery technology.
