Hill College House | University of Pennsylvania

Built in the 1960s as a dormitory for the University of Pennsylvania’s female students, the Eero Saarinen building is decorated with alternating horizontal and vertical windows, a theoretical “moat” and bridge. The interior contrasts with the guarded exterior by opening to a grand atrium dining area with sky-lights, flanked by residential and communal spaces.

After an extensive feasibility study completed in 2011, Keast & Hood was retained to provide structural support for the building’s renovations and upgrades. The structural scope involves interventions for the partial removal of select bearing wall elements to create more open areas. Openings will also allow for the creation of an ADA entrance, insertion of a new elevator, extension of the southwest stair into the basement, and various floor and wall penetrations to support MEP infrastructure improvements. The lowering of a portion of the first floor expands the kitchen area for a larger dining area for students. Masonry repairs to the exterior bridge required structural support for new steel elements.

The newly renovated building has been embraced by students and the university alike. It is a fitting update to an important modern building on Penn’s campus.