Behnisch Architekten, the renowned German architectural firm with offices in Stuttgart and Boston, has completed the striking Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The eight-story building spans nearly 114,000 square feet of gross floor area, making it a substantial addition to the university's research infrastructure despite appearing relatively modest within the broader American urban context.
Located on the eastern edge of the campus grounds, the new facility serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research into sustainable energy sources. The building's program called for passive design strategies to be expressed architecturally, reflecting the institution's commitment to energy research through its very structure. The architects responded to this challenge with an impressive array of expressively designed shading elements that give the building enhanced visual presence in the cityscape.
The site presents a unique topographical challenge, with a circulation level mediating between the street and a lower-lying courtyard featuring landscape design by Philadelphia-based Andropogon Associates. This level difference stems from the area's industrial past, making the first floor the primary access level. Here, visitors encounter a meandering lobby alongside administrative offices, conference rooms, and a club room. This mixed-use approach continues throughout the rest of the building, though laboratories occupy the majority of the floor space on upper levels.
Architecturally, the building is defined by its staggered floor packages that create a distinctive stepped profile. Each package contains double-height circulation spaces, while the offset floors open up opportunities for rooftop terraces. The building's most striking design feature consists of multiple-folded sun sails made from ETFE plastic that create a diagonal hatching pattern across the facades. These sharp-edged elements almost resemble defensive blade strips in their angular geometry, though their primary function is precise filtration and diffusion of daylight.
The innovative shading system represents a significant technological achievement, with the architects reporting heat gains reduced by up to 70 percent through the precise control of natural light. The sun sails demonstrate how sustainable design principles can be integrated into visually compelling architectural elements that serve both functional and aesthetic purposes.
Constructed as a reinforced concrete structure, the building features glass and metal facades that reveal bright interior spaces with exposed ceilings and colorful linoleum floors. The demanding climatic requirements of the laboratory spaces necessitated an effectively double-story mechanical floor that crowns the building, housing the sophisticated HVAC systems required for precise environmental control.
The project benefited from collaboration with several specialized engineering firms, including Knippers Helbig Engineering and Transsolar Climate Engineering, who helped realize the complex environmental systems. This interdisciplinary approach reflects the building's own mission of fostering collaboration across different fields of energy research, creating a physical environment that embodies the innovative spirit of its academic program.
