New design has the building looking like a cruise ship in drydock.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8076/2...418dc28a_b.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...elinLZ127b.jpg

^Return of the Hindenburg

I have no problem with the design. Hospitals have very different design considerations than more traditional commercial buildings. This design seems to meet those specific needs, and still looks pretty nice. This is Foster and Partners after all - people thought CITC was going to be ugly too.

I think the whole Penn complex looks very industrial/medical/researchy. The urbanity also extends farther south because of the university. Don't understand the qualms at all, looks pretty good for the purpose and fits with the rest of the environment.

CDR Submission

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...2e&oe=58BEA1EC

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a5&oe=58BAB33E

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f9&oe=58908F6F

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...66&oe=58C27B52

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...dd&oe=58889057

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...10&oe=58BD73C7

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...be&oe=58CEBCDC

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...30&oe=58C57F3E

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f8&oe=58878539

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a1&oe=5890B6FE

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...12&oe=58D4152F

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5f&oe=58875360

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...06&oe=58C59789

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a6&oe=58CBE232

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...45&oe=58C3B519

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...47&oe=58D4F0E9

Link:
http://www.phila.gov/CityPlanning/pr...16_reduced.pdf

^On pages 14 and 40 of the pdf, the diagrams show a tunnel under CC Blvd., in addition to the bridge. When was this planned? I don't see any info about it in the rest of the document, and I don't recall it being brought up before....

**Refer to post #72.

From the very beginning there was plans to build a bridge and/or a tunnel from the new complex to the Train station. The area behind the complex was not very pedestrian friendly, especially during peak hours. This should help alleviate some of the issues in regards to safety and convenience.

how long is this baby expected to be under construction? 2-3 years?

Everything I've seen has indicated completion in 2020.

EDIT: Curbed Philadelphia says it will be completed by early 2021, so more like 4 years under construction.

I may be alone in this, but I don't see how this building fits in with the surrounding environment-feels very out of place.
I want to like it, and it seems like a cool concept in isolation but I don't think it works well at all in that location

As I understand the argument, it fits in with the other ugly Penn Health buildings nearby. The problem is that it rises behind the beautiful Penn Museum. A missed opportunity for something less offensive than the old Penn Tower.

So is it going to be gold or white?

Renderings of Foster + Partners’ Penn Patient Pavilion revealed

http://philly.curbed.com/2016/11/17/...ion-renderings

According to Curbed Philly, Penn is hoping to break ground on this by the end of the year.

http://philly.curbed.com/maps/univer...r-construction

I'm not sure that ANY 16-story building hulking over the Penn Museum could look good in relation to the Museum. Unless perhaps it was all glass and effectively invisible?

When the concept for this building was first made public I'm pretty sure HUP put out the idea that this new building would be a replacement for all their hospital buildings west of 33rd. street. Is that still the plan? If so, then this doesn't look 'big' enough. I wonder if this design allows for expansion in the future?

I can remember when people were wondering if this could turn out to be the tallest hospital in the country. Now this; frankenbuidings new brother.

I think it was one of our inside sources--GarCastle or Flyers2001--who said that replacement of some or all of the old buildings was a long-term plan or goal (so that the location of the older buildings could be returned to core academic uses). To my knowledge, Penn has never publicly stated that the new building is intended to replace some or all of the old buildings. On the contrary, the public discussion of the new hospital has been in terms of how it would increase Penn Medicine and HUP's clinical capacity. But who knows?

Not only does it not seem to fit in, it is unoriginal. Philadelphia already had a hospital shaped somewhat like this. (That hospital is now condos).

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9554...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Colossal waste of money using Foster to design this. What could have been the definitive building of the UCity skyline looks like a non-descript building in a Radnor office park. Talk about overspending.