Univ. of Penn Breaks Ground on New College House

PHILADELPHIA — Continuing its tradition of creating dynamic on-campus living spaces, University of Pennsylvania officials and donors recently broke ground on the $127 million New College House at Hill Field. This 198,000-square-foot structure is the university’s first ever residential building specifically designed as a college house, and will soon be home to more than 350 members of the University of Pennsylvania community.

The modern brick facility will be located on Hill Field, currently an open green space, and will comprise three-, four-, five- and six-bedroom suites. New College House residents will also enjoy a spacious dining area, seminar rooms and gathering spaces, a media center and a multipurpose area intended for various cultural and social activities. Outside, a portion of the surrounding green space will be transformed into a tree-filled central courtyard that will host events such as barbeques and small concerts.

“Our goal in building the New College House is to construct a state-of-the-art facility that meets our highest aspirations for campus life at Penn in the 21st century and beyond,” said Provost Vincent Price.

Different from a traditional dormitory, the University of Pennsylvania’s College House residential system is fairly unique. According to a release issued by the university, this system brings together undergraduate students, faculty, staff and graduate students to form shared communities within the larger context of the University campus. These specialized houses are home to a resident faculty master, a house dean and two fellows that help oversee and support student life throughout the facility. House deans also serve as mentors and academic advisors, and both faculty and senior administration members serve as the house fellows.

The system was developed 15 years ago, and today 11 college house residences are available to students. In the housing program’s mission statement, these unique housing systems are proudly described as hubs of intellectual, social and recreational activity, which help facilitate connections among their various student and faculty residents, while also providing learning opportunities outside of the conventional classroom.

Among the university’s undergraduate population, this more communal approach to living is quite popular. Presently an estimated 52 percent of undergraduates call a College House home, including nearly 99 percent of the first year class.

According to University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, the houses have already made an indelible mark on the campus. “In 15 years, the College Houses have become enormously successful, and life in a college house has become a touchstone for generations of student experiences at Penn,” said Gutmann.

The project is also integrating sustainability and energy conservation principles and is projected to earn LEED Silver certification. According to images provided by the university, the J-shaped building is divided among four-, five- and six-story sections, each featuring a green roof. The design will also include expansive windows to make use of natural light. Additionally, a large portion of the original open lawn will be preserved, and create a shady, tree-covered walkway will be created.

The architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of Philadelphia was selected to design the new structure, while Intech Construction, also of Philadelphia, will serve as Construction Manager-at-Risk. Construction is slated to begin in 2014, and officials expect full completion by 2016.