Old City
Residence

Philadelphia, PA

STATUS

TYPOLOGY

Private Client

10,000 SF

Residential

Completed

SIZE

CLIENT

VIEW FROM INDEPENDENCE MALL

ARCHITECTS

Varenhorst Architects

Design Team: Stephen Varenhorst, AIA; Cathie Dopkin, AIA

COLLABORATORS

Mechanical Engineer: Alderson Engineering

Structural Engineer: The Harman Group

Interiors: JAGR

Civil Engineer & Surveyor: Schock Group

General Contractor: Horstmann Lynch Construction Services

Lighting: O'Donohoe Lighting

Furniture & Fabrication: Amuneal, Van Etten

Marble & Granite: Addesso

Smart Home Automation: Soundwaves

Photographs: © Jeffrey Totaro

VIEW OF CENTRAL HALL

This unique 10,000 square foot renovation and addition to the penthouse condo in Philadelphia’s historic Bank building involved creating an identifiable, non-historic component overlooking the Independence Mall.

  • VIEW TOWARDS TERRACE

  • CORNER VIEW TOWARDS TERRACE

  • VIEW OF DINING AREA

DETAIL OF CORNER WINDOW

This addition was designed to be rich with shade and shadow, in balance with the proportions of the historic facade and with the size of the historic interior rooms.

VIEW TOWARDS STUDY
VIEW OF INTERIOR HALL
VIEW OF ART WALL

Varenhorst combined original portions of the building showing historic, exposed brick with a new steel and glass addition.

VIEW OF SKYLIGHT

The steel windows and custom metal rain screens shade the glass and provide depth to the facade, similar to the deep shadows of the historic Chestnut Street facade.

The facade utilizes darker grey and black colors to recede visually from the historic stone facade.

VIEW FROM ENTRY HALL
  • VIEW OF STUDY

    VIEW OF STUDY

  • OPPOSITE VIEW OF CENTRAL HALL

    OPPOSITE VIEW OF CENTRAL HALL