Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 3/23/15

Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology
Philadelphia, PA, USA
9,480 sf. Greenroofs

Project Description & Details

Demonstrating the University of Pennsylvania’s leadership in the emerging field, the LEED Gold certified Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology is a premier $91.5 million state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratory facility. The 78,000-gross-square-foot facility houses several multi-user experimental laboratories critical to advanced research and development in nanotechnology, woven together by collaborative public spaces that enable interaction between different fields. Defined by a 1.7-acre central campus green at a new gateway to the campus, the building also features a courtyard, public galleria, a forum space, high-profile conference rooms, and two green roof spaces.

Responsible as architect and for site design, WEISS/MANFREDI focused the laboratories around a new central quad. This convergence of architecture and landscape at the heart of this project provides a new indoor/outdoor open space for interaction, allowing panoramic exterior views, opening the sciences to the University landscape, and making research activities highly visible. The green roofs crown the 68-foot cantilevered volume – one lower, partially accessible intensive roof with native plants, and one upper extensive roof with sedums. They are considered a “miniaturization” of the building’s courtyard. The Roofmeadow Type III Savannah Intensive Vegetative Roof Assembly was installed utilizing 3 inches of drainage media with varying depths of growing media planted with assorted sedums and native trees, perennials and grasses.

The Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology is the 2015 Recipient of the Institute Honor Awards for Architecture from the AIA.

Find more photos and additional information about this project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

New! Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology is featured in Greenroofs.com’s brand new 2015 Wallpaper Projects Gallery – download yours for free.

Year: 2013
Owner: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Building Type: Laboratory Facility
Type: Extensive & Intensive
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 9,480 sq. ft.
Slope: 1%
Access: Accessible, Private

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Greenroof System Provider & Consultant: Roofmeadow
Green Roof Contractor: G.R.A.S.S. and EDA Contractor
Architect & Site Design: WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism
Greenroof Design: WEISS/MANFREDI
Civil Engineer: Stantec Consulting
General Contractor: Gilbane Building Company
Photography: Albert Vecerka/Esto Courtesy of WEISS/MANFREDI; Roofmeadow

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch the Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

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~ Linda V.