Science—and art
Penn's newest state-of-the-art building is also a magnificent work of art. Skirkanich Hall, home to the University's Department of Bioengineering and the new entrance to the School of Engineering and Applied Science, features a dramatic green glazed-brick façade, complemented by glass panes. The modern structure ties together the early 20th-century red brick Towne and Moore buildings.
Designed by the husband-and-wife architect team of Tod Williams and Billie Tsien—known for their attention to materials and details—the light-flooded interior features concrete walls that have been hammered to reveal individual stone fragments. All directional signs inside the building are embedded in the granite walls.
Skirkanich, named for alumnus J. Peter Skirkanich and his wife, Geri, was built to provide office space and labs for Penn's interdisciplinary bioengineering research. "Top faculty and top students deserve a world-class building," says SEAS Dean Eduardo Glandt.
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