Big Facades, Bigger Dreams

A drone’s-eye view shows how the Vagelos Laboratory serves as a new gateway to Penn’s campus.

The University of Pennsylvania is known for being on the cutting edge—of research, academics, and much more—and its new buildings certainly match that forward-thinking mentality. The university’s alumni magazine, The Pennsylvania Gazette, asked me to photograph three of the latest additions to campus.

The sheer magnitude of the Vagelos Laboratory’s facade is evident from street level.

Designers Behnish Architekten included thoughtful details that reflect the building’s purpose as a hub for energy research. Sail-like sunshades over the windows help regulate temperatures inside the building to save energy without sacrificing the great view, and my drone helped me photograph the enormous facade within the limited space available on site.

Photographing from a drone lets us fully capture the combination of mass timber and glass that makes up the Gutmann Hall exterior.

Elsewhere on campus, the Amy Gutmann Hall will house data science–based research and cross-disciplinary collaborations across Penn’s many schools and academic centers, paralleling its namesake’s accomplishments in both academic administration and public service.

A drone close-up shows the fine-line details on the windows of Gutmann Hall.

Penn’s student athletes also have a new facility to celebrate. The Ott Center for Track and Field includes long- and high-jump pits, a throwing area, a banked track, and room for up to 990 spectators.

The brand-new indoor track at the Ott Center is the perfect shade of Penn red.

As with the Vagelos Laboratory and Gutmann Hall, my drone helped establish the Ott Center in the greater context of both the Penn campus and the city of Philadelphia. You can check out how The Pennsylvania Gazette used my images here!

Center City provides a great backdrop to the new Ott Center.