University of Pennsylvania Perelman Quadrangle

The Perelman Quadrangle is an area of the University of Pennsylvania's campus in West Philadelphia that was redeveloped in 2001 as part of a comprehensive renovation of Houston Hall by the architectural firm of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. In addition to Houston Hall itself, it includes a courtyard and event spaces in several adjacent buildings.^[1] Perelman Quad staff also manage public spaces in several other campus buildings.^[2]

Perelman Quad buildings include:

• College Hall (University of Pennsylvania), the campus's first building, built in 1871 and now housing mostly classrooms and administrative space
• Claudia Cohen (formerly Logan) Hall, built in 1874 to house the medical school and now housing administrative offices, meeting rooms, and several academic departments
• Houston Hall (University of Pennsylvania), built in 1895 and enlarged in 1936, was and is a student union building; by some definitions the first in the United States.
• Irvine Auditorium was completed in 1932. Renovations in the 1990s replaced the side balconies of the main hall with several smaller performance and rehearsal spaces.
• Williams Hall (1971) houses classrooms, academic departments, and a cafe.

During the 2001 renovation of Houston Hall, the outdoor space between Houston and College Halls was renamed Wynn Commons. It includes seating areas and a small amphitheater.

References

1. Russell, James S (January 17, 2001). "A Bold New Quadrangle Unites Old Penn Buildings". Philadelphia Inquirer.
2. "Perelman Quad Official Site".