Designed by Sasaki Associates, The Drexel campus straddles both sides of Market Street in Philadelphia?s University City section. Sasaki’s addition to the Daskalasis Athletic Center (DAC), a 1960s-era athletic complex, accomplishes several institutional and programmatic goals. It increases the university?s visual presence along Market Street, integrates existing and new buildings into a unified complex, and groups all of the recreation facilities into a new building wing. Respecting that the DAC is surrounded by one of Drexel?s few outdoor landscape spaces, the design also maximizes preservation of the site?s open space.
Photography: Robert Benson
The new building wraps around two sides of the DAC building, providing a new urban presence along Market Street. The main façade is treated as a large glazed screen with meandering folds shaded by the extension of the building?s floors. The folded enclosure provides alcoves along with the exercise areas, where active users and equipment add a sense of color and movement to the streetscape. The glazed skin is also the result of extensive energy studies. The design is expected to reduce cooling loads by 50% on the south façade and 30% on the east. The building addition incorporates a major pedestrian artery, creating a walkway through the building linking two key areas of the campus. This newly created passageway renders existing and new programs as a focal point for students, visitors, faculty, and staff crossing the campus...