Institute for Smart & Healthy Cities Venice Exhibit 2023

Student Projects

Vicinity Tower

  • Joseph Falcone & Colin White

Taking influence from the nearby context, the climate-resilient building forms were designed to accentuate the rigidity of the gridded city in contrast to the fluidity of the River Walk. Creating these forms to function as flex spaces while still maintaining residential and mixed-use areas was essential in the design process. In a conclusive manner, Vicinity Campus was assembled to extend the cities' environments while keeping the impending climate threats in mind. Elevating specific programmatic and circulatory spaces as well as placing each building in a spatially aware plan allows for this new campus to become a staple for the city and an accommodative hub for the nearby neighborhoods. With the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Medical buildings being across the Schuylkill River, the Health Science Buildings that now act as a component of Vicinity Campus function to aid further research and stand adjacent to the Gallery space and Great Lawn for city events. Now, the once underutilized Vicinity Power Plant structure and the brownfield site can be used to its full potential for present and future means.

Displays Vicinity Tower from a South West angle with the Philadelphia Skyline in the background.
Master Plan displaying the network of buildings that were designed based on the site's needs and context. Vicinity Gallery 2. Vicinity Towers 3. Health Science A 4. Health Science B 5. Mixed Use High Rise. A. Overall site, B. Mixed Use, C. Health Sciences, D. Existing
1. Form Expression Diagram of Health Science Building A with the roof application. 2. Form Expression Diagram of the Gallery Space with the preservation of the existing Vicinity Power Plant Facade. 3. Form Expression Diagram of Health Science Building B with the roof application
Displays the circulation, programmatic layout red is residential, yellow is amenities spaces, green is flex spaces, blue is mixed-use spaces, orange is the main lobby, and the winter gardens within Vicinity Tower.
Displays the core, winter gardens, and elevated pedestrian deck.
Displays the great courtyard that is placed between Health Science Building B, the Gallery, and Vicinity Tower.
Displays Vicinity Towers' internal Winter Gardens that are programmatically placed within the towers.