A year ago, PennDesign opened state-of-the-art new studios on the second floor of Meyerson Hall. This summer, the transformation of Meyerson Hall continues with the renovation of the third floor design studios, with the redesign of the Walnut and 34th Street entrance, with the relocation of the trash and recycling facility, and with the re-landscaping of the Walnut/34th St entrance plaza.
Last year, students taking studio classes on the second floor were excited to be the first users in the re conceived Meyerson Hall studios. They experienced a level of technology and studio flexibility never seen before at PennDesign. From moveable studio furniture to high-tech lighting to overhead projectors to 3-D printers in every studio bay, the transformation of our second floor studio spaces was comprehensive. This summer, architects David McHenry and Scott Erdy take an even more refined approach to the transformation of the third floor studios. Technological enhancements include better sound dampening and increased layout flexibility.
Outside, the transformation of Meyerson Hall has just begun. This summer, the entranceway itself will be reconceived with the addition of a horizontal portico and a vertical skirmish, announcing to all that this is PennDesign. The relandscaping of the entrance plaza will be attractive and a signal that an even more compelling redesign is soon to come.
The work of Dean Taylor, the architecture firm of Erdy McHenry, and Director of Operation Karl Wellman has allowed the School to take an outdated building and repurpose in a fashion both sustainable and innovative.