Institute for the Research of Cognitive Science

University of Pennsylvania, SAS and EAS

Renovation and expansion of this computer-based, 15,000 square foot research facility encompassed casually arranged clusters of work carrels for “hoteling” graduate students, break-out spaces, a smart lecture hall/seminar space, behavioral testing laboratories, and private offices. The unusual length of the IRCS facility resulted from the need to connect suites located on different entry and service cores to meet their expansion requirements. The constraint of these fixed elements and the travel distance between the two wings were turned to advantage by making the ramped, accessible route into a series of structural “events” using dramatic lighting and colors.