UPenn Hill College House award UPenn Hill College House award
Upenn dining hall design Upenn dining hall design
Amenity Lighting Amenity Lighting
Academic dining hall lighting design Academic dining hall lighting design
UPENN lighting fixtures UPENN lighting fixtures
UPenn Hill College House, Exterior Lighting by The Lighting Practice UPenn Hill College House, Exterior Lighting by The Lighting Practice
UPenn Hill College House architecture UPenn Hill College House architecture
UPENN College hill house design UPENN College hill house design

University of Pennsylvania Hill College House

Philadelphia, PA

Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele
Photo by: Aislinn Weidele

The University of Pennsylvania’s Hill College House is a 1960 dormitory designed by Eero Saarinen, one of the masters of American 20th-century architecture. This 6-story masonry building, housing nearly 520 students, was designed to emulate a small self-sufficient village. The interior layout fosters a sense of community and social interaction. Shared amenity spaces are centrally located like a town square and are filled with vibrant daylight from the clerestory level above.

The Lighting Practice’s design supports the daylit amenity spaces, illuminates the surrounding “villas” and honors the original design intent. TLP updated the existing lighting system to meet university standards and to meet required light levels for student residences and corridors. Due to the building’s symmetrical layout, fixture selection and placement was used to enhance wayfinding efforts. TLP’s scope also included exterior facade and pedestrian site lighting. The building was designed to LEED Silver certification standards.

Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, Preservation Awards: Grand Jury Award, 2018
Modernism in America Awards: Civic/Institutional Design Award of Excellence, 2018
ENR MidAtlantic Best Projects: Award of Merit, 2018
AIA New Jersey: Merit in Historic Preservation, 2018

Client

University of Pennsylvania

Special features

  • LEED Silver (pending)

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