Featured Project, April 2013: Philadelphia Museum of Art Phase I Completed

The Philadelphia Museum of art has completed the first phase of its master plan, a 62,000 gsf art-handling facility designed by Gehry Partners. The facility represents a relatively small area of the museum but represents a critical function: the safe and effective unloading and storage of artwork and artifacts.

For Phase I, Atelier Ten provided design-stage analysis to guide the energy-efficient design of the facility, which now includes a high-performance envelope, low lighting power densities and occupancy sensors in selected spaces, and an efficient HVAC system which includes efficient chillers and an energy recovery unit with an enthalpy wheel. Atelier Ten also provided the museum with a detailed chiller study to guide system design and selection. Critically, Atelier Ten Ten worked to define, propose and get City approval on a set of sustainability criteria currently not supported by LEED but aligned with Philadelphia’s green building ordinances.

This project represents Atelier Ten’s first collaboration with Gehry Partners and is part of Atelier Ten’s rapidly-growing portfolio of high-profile museums. It is managed by Brian Meinrath, an Environmental Designer in the San Francisco office, with Claire Maxfield, Director, as Principal-in-Charge. Atelier Ten is currently working with Gehry Partners on the subsequent phases of this project, which includes the renovations and additions to the existing galleries, support spaces, classrooms, and other public areas.

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