The Architizer A+Awards, which celebrates the year’s best architecture and products, has honored the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House with the Popular Choice Award in the “Higher Education & Research Facilities” category.
Perry World House is a transformation of the oldest surviving building on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. Reimagined by 1100 Architect, the 19th century workers’ cottage is now a hub for global initiatives and a gathering place to engage with international scholars and policymakers. Perry World House is the only building shared by each of Penn’s 12 schools.
The Lighting Practice worked with the design team to illuminate all interior and exterior project areas with the goal of LEED Silver certification. This adaptive reuse project required a lighting system that would blend the old and new architecture. To address this challenge, Al Borden and Jon Hoyle used simple shapes and detailing fixture mounting to incorporate the lighting fixtures into the architectural and structural elements of the building.
In the glass-enclosed courtyard, controlled beam optics minimize reflections by the lighting fixtures, so visitors have unobstructed outside views. Track lighting and linear LED strip lights are mounted between structural members in the courtyard to conceal them from view. In the World Forum’s large multimedia space, integrated lighting controls suit a variety of presentation needs.
The Architizer A+Awards Selection Process
Each year, judges for the Architizer A+Awards nominate five finalists in each award category. The finalists are then announced online, where design enthusiasts from all over the world vote for their favorites. The winners of the A+ Popular Choice Awards are honored alongside a Jury Winner.
Perry World House will be recognized at Architizer’s annual red carpet gala on May 11th, which kicks off the week-long NYCxDesign event in New York City.
Click here for the full list of 2017 Winners from each category.
