The astounding growth of HUP and CHOP over time has resulted in a West Philly campus that's probably confusing even for doctors that have worked there for years. The buildings are a mess of different styles and functions. The roads are confusing and sometime terminate unexpectedly. For pedestrians, there's just no flow and it's kind of an unpleasant place to walk. But there's a new building over here that's hitting the home stretch, and we're willing to bear it all just to stare at it.
Meet CHOP's new Ambulatory Care Center, a project that's gotten surprisingly little press online. We actually first told you about this building on Civic Center Blvd. a couple of years ago as excavation was finishing up. We provided a rendering of the project, unsure of whether it reflected a building that was actually going to get built, or a mere architectural fantasy. It turns out the new building is pretty darn close to the rendering.
We'd have to imagine that an unusual building like this will provoke strong reactions. Some people may find the building too whimsical, and object to the bulging and recessed floors as you look up. Others (like us) might wish the building reflected the drawing a little more accurately, preferring the even greater contrast between floors in the rendering. But that's a minor bit of feedback- we're mostly just happy it's not another bland glass box.
Whether you love or hate the new building, it will soon be ready to fulfill its mission of making sick kids better. And that's a good thing, we can all agree.