University of Pennsylvania Reveals Plans for New Facility

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has released architectural renderings of the design for the transformative Tangen Hall. The new building will be Penn’s first dedicated space for cross-campus student entrepreneurship and innovation activity.

University of Pennsylvania Tangen Hall

Developed by the Hankin Group, KSS Architects’ design for Tangen Hall sets up each floor with a destination program. A façade of precast concrete and shades of green glass will offer a transparent view into the innovation culture at Penn. The project uses sustainable materials and is designed to meet Penn’s LEED Silver target.

Supporting student entrepreneurship and innovation, the seven-story, 68,000-square-foot building will be one of the largest hubs of its kind on any college campus. It will include incubator spaces and maker spaces to pilot student-led ventures, a test kitchen for food-centric startups, and the master’s level Integrated Product Design Program jointly operated by Wharton, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. Tangen Hall will also be home to the new Venture Lab, where students from across Penn’s 12 schools can turn good ideas into great outcomes.

Construction of Tangen Hall is slated to begin in spring 2019 and be completed by fall 2020.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.