Bernardon Haber Holloway Team takes Second Prize in the Delaware Valley Green Building Council Sustainable Design Competition

Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects is proud to announce that Tim Kiser, AIA, and Michael McCloskey, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, received Second Prize in the 2012 Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) Sustainable Design Competition. Kiser and McCloskey participated in the Emerging Professionals category and received their award at the Best of Greenbuild event held Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Their submission, "mantuaREwright", adaptively re-used the existing Mantua Wright Recreation Center in the Mantua section of Philadelphia, PA.  The design is intended to "RE-Wright" the community’s understanding of what their neighborhood is and how it can flourish to foster a sustainable way of living. The Mantua Wright complex is situated within a dense urban context, so a vertical addition to the existing building became a way to introduce much needed program space onto a constrained site with a minimal footprint. The striking image of the tower lends a contemporary face to Mantua’s already established identity. Views afforded from the new addition enable residents to perceive their urban environment in a way that reinforces a sense of scale between their block, their neighborhood, and their city.

The tower also becomes a highly visible beacon within the community and presents a constant reminder of the communication, health, and educational opportunities the center provides. The building itself acts as a tool for learning and presents visitors with sustainable ways of living within a community, which include taking advantage of existing unused roof space to allow for the production of natural crops amongst the paved city context and providing a building analytics display to help people engage with responsible building and energy use practices.

This re-imagined community center will set the tone for neighborhood environmental responsibility within the City of Philadelphia.