Shoemaker Green at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA | 2012 | 2.75 acres | $8.5 M
Shoemaker Green, a 2.75-acre public green at the heart of the University of Pennsylvania’s historic athletics campus, is a model for sustainable campus design. The project transformed an underused and under-appreciated corner of the campus into a harmonious new public commons, a welcoming open space of lawns, tree-lined walkways, and seating areas. This new green space is both a destination and a pedestrian route from Locust and Smith Walks at the core of campus to the historic buildings surrounding the green and further eastward to the new Penn Park.
Lighting provides a sense of safety while being sensitive to its ecological impact. Carefully shielded light fixtures provide dappled “moonlight” on the Great Lawn while the illumination of the facade of the George A. Weiss Pavilion transformed the historic building into a warm glowing presence overlooking the Green. The project was chosen to be one of the Sustainable Sites Initiative’s (SITES™) Pilot Projects.
