Richards Medical Research Center

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 1957-1962 Architect: Louis Kahn Structural Engineer: August Komendant floorspace ft The Medical Research Center was commissioned during a time when many universities were developing new facilities to accomodate the increasing need for labratory based medical facilities. Kahn had built neither a medical laboratory or a high rise structure before. He was commissioned for the project largely on the basis of recognition recieved for the Yale art gallery and increasing ties to the U.Penn architecture department. This was the first building in which Kahn collaborated with engineer August Komendant, whom he would work with for 18 years. Komendant was instrumental in the development of both pretensioned and postensioned concrete in Germany after WWII, when steel was scarce.

Brownlee

key facts

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

The building is concieved as a collection of discreet funcional components. The origional design called for one core tower housing circulation, mechanical systems, bathrooms and animal quarters. This core tower served three towers of laboratory space that extend from it in a pinwheel array. These lab towers are flanked by a series of vertical masses housing fire stairs, plumbing and secondary ductwork.

building components
case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

Shortly after the completion of the 3 tower building, Kahn was commissioned to extend the building westward with additional lab towers.

building components

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

The central tower is a poured in place concrete structure. The surrounding laboratory towers are based on 45 x 45 nine square grid precast concrete assemblies. The floor grids are held in place by precast columns situated around the perimeter and aligned with the 15 bay nine square. There are no interior columns and no corner columns. Kahns strategy here was to create an open, and flexible lab space with maximum daylight. This early plan shows the secondary vierendeel frame system as a nine square grid in miniature within each bay. This was changed to a four square system to reduce construction costs.

Leslie

structural hierarchies

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

structural aesthetic

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

Komendant devised a kit of precast concrete members to be assembled one floor at a time on the site.

Leslie

precast kit of parts

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

The 2 main precast beams, which span 45 across each floor are pretensioned. The cross-beam segments are tethered to the main pretensioned beams and to each other with post-tensioning cables. The vertical column segments are post-tensioned together in a similar fashion, as are the edge beams.

steel reinforcement

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

The 2 main precast beams, which span 45 across each floor are pretensioned. The cross-beam segments are tethered to the main pretensioned beams and to each other with post-tensioning cables. The vertical column segments are post-tensioned together in a similar fashion, as are the edge beams.

steel reinforcement

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

joint assembly

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

joint assembly

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

joint assembly

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

service space

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center

service space

case study Arch 515 Philip Baraldi Spring 2006

Richards Medical Research Center