 |
|
Memorial Hall’s famed 60-foot dome and granite façade were restored as part of an $88 million adaptive-reuse project for the Please Touch Museum. |
Built in 1875 to serve as the art gallery for the Centennial International Exhibition in Fairmount Park, Memorial Hall stands as one of the great civic structures in Philadelphia. The neoclassical building, designed by Fairmount Park Commission engineer Hermann J. Schwarzmann, was one of the first buildings in America to be designed according to the principles of the Beaux Arts movement. Its signature design, highlighted by an iron-and-glass dome adorned with a 23-foot-tall statue of Columbia, has been emulated by architects across the globe, including those of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Detroit Institute of Art.
Despite its celebrated past and prominence in the worldwide architecture community, by the 1950s years of delayed maintenance and neglect had left Memorial Hall in dire need of restoration. The situation was exacerbated by a revolving door of tenants that included an industrial arts school, an art museum, a recreation center, a sound recording studio, even a police station. In 2000, the building had to be closed to the public.
In 2002, Memorial Hall received a much-needed jolt when the Please Touch Museum finalized plans to relocate there. The $88 million restoration and adaptive-reuse project took nearly six years from concept through construction, which concluded with the grand opening on October 18, 2008. The project entailed a complete restoration of the exterior granite façade, the 60-foot dome, and all interior paint, plaster, and marble—as well as construction of an addition that houses the museum's cherished, hundred-year-old Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel.
The team cleverly adapted the existing spaces for the exhibits and museum functions. An indoor swimming pool added in 1962 presented the perfect location to “plant” a soaring artificial tree for the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland exhibit. A dark, decrepit maintenance tunnel in the rear of the building was converted into a bright, colorful entrance for large groups walking from the bus drop-off area.
The Reconstruction Awards judges praised the Building Team for saving an architectural masterpiece while also benefiting the community with a world-class children's museum.
“Philadelphia really needed this museum because there's really not a lot for the kids in that area to do,” said judge David P. Callan, PE, LEED AP, SVP with Environmental Systems Design, Chicago. — Dave Barista, Managing Editor
Related Stories
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Dec 30, 2013
Calatrava facing legal action from his home town over crumbling cultural complex
Officials with the city of Valencia, Spain, are blaming Santiago Calatrava for the rapid deterioration of buildings within its City of Arts and Sciences complex.
| Dec 19, 2013
Mastering the art of crowd control and visitor flow in interpretive facilities
To say that visitor facility planning and design is challenging is an understatement. There are many factors that determine the success of a facility. Unfortunately, visitor flow, the way people move and how the facility accommodates those movements, isn’t always specifically considered.
| Dec 13, 2013
Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety
From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 6, 2013
French concert hall includes integrated musical elements [VIDEO]
La Métaphone, a concert hall in Ognies, France, is a 1,980-sm facility with the unique characteristic of being a structural musical instrument. The solar-powered building incorporates musical elements in its walls, which can be played by musicians inside or outside the facility.
| Dec 4, 2013
First look: Dubai's winning bid for World Expo 2020 [slideshow]
Dubai has been chosen as the site of the 2020 World Expo. HOK led the design team that developed the master plan for the Expo, which is expected to draw more than 25 million visitors from October 2020 through April 2021.
| Nov 27, 2013
BIG's 'oil and vinegar' design wins competition for the Museum of the Human Body [slideshow]
The winning submission by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and A+ Architecture mixes urban pavement and parkland in a flowing, organic plan, like oil and vinegar, explains Bjarke Ingels.
| Nov 27, 2013
Wonder walls: 13 choices for the building envelope
BD+C editors present a roundup of the latest technologies and applications in exterior wall systems, from a tapered metal wall installation in Oklahoma to a textured precast concrete solution in North Carolina.
