Drexel University Designs West Philadelphia Academic Facility

Drexel University has selected design firm Diamond + Schmitt Architects to design a new academic building at the heart of Drexel’s West Philadelphia campus. The $49-million facility will support the Department of Bioscience by providing state of the art learning spaces, 32 800-sf research laboratories, and nine 1,200-sf teaching labs. The five story, 28,500-sf building will also house the Steinbright Career Development Center which serves students and alumni in cooperative education and career placement. The design sets a high standard of sustainability and incorporates a living biofilter wall to achieve energy efficiency and an exemplary standard of indoor air quality. The project team also includes H2L2 Architects of Philadelphia. Construction is set to begin in spring 2008.