Last month marked the grand opening for Venice Island Performing Art & Recreation Center in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. The project was spearheaded by the City of Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. Buell Kratzer Powell (BKP), architects, led the design team effort for the performing arts center with The Lighting Practice as lighting designers responsible for interior and performance space lighting as well as exterior site lighting. BKP also collaborated with Hazen and Sawyer, environmental engineers, and Andropogon Associates, landscape architects, on the overall site design which included outdoor recreation amenities, playgrounds, and a state of the art stormwater management system designed to alleviate past and future flooding.
Venice Island Merges Utility, Creativity and Entertainment
Monday, October 6, 2014 | by James Jennings
One of the most interesting collaborative projects that combines a highly sophisticated water basin and pump, a playground and a brand new 250-seat theater is set to open tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Manayunk. Venice Island, a strip of land that separates the Manayunk Tow Path from the Schuylkill River, is a rare instance where need ultimately led so much more. Federally mandated by the EPA’s Clean Water Act to build a sewage overflow station during intense rainstorms, the Philadelphia Water Department started working on a plan to install 4-million gallon underground basin and pump station on Venice Island. After working with Parks & Rec and the Manayunk Development Corporation, the project morphed into and incredible new recreation facility for the surrounding area.
Officially the Venice Island Performing Art & Recreation Center, the grounds will be chock-full of green infrastructure — including a green roof on the pump house and water retention spaces like a spray ground area and multiple rain gardens. The 250-seat theater will be “state of the art” and become the centerpiece of the cultural renaissance of the area. There is also a new parking lot featuring space for 180 cars on site to accommodate visitors to the park or future events.
Full Article: Venice Island Merges Utility, Creativity and Entertainment
