The Harrison Garden creates a much-needed functional space for the Museum and the neighboring newly built Penn Patient Pavilion hospital. The existing site conditions included a steep asphalt parking area and adjacent vegetated slopes. A large-scale amphitheater lawn approach was adopted to navigate the grade change and maximize the flexible space in addition to providing sightlines from the street. Large local stone retaining walls act as seat walls for the amphitheater. The lower open courtyard is a flexible space for museum-hosted events for the Harrison rotunda. The landscape design also had to navigate the constraint of a vehicular exit ramp that was egress from the hospital's underground parking. The result is a tranquil flexible space for the museum and the community at large.

Work completed at OLIN.

Completed in 2022.

©OLIN

DATE: 2019

LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA

CLIENT: Penn Museum