Museums, Libraries

The new museum and welcome center for visitors to Independence National Historical Park and Greater Philadelphia is a 55,000 square foot steel-framed building atop a pre-existing parking garage. Significant structural features include an exposed steel frame; an intricate lateral-force distribution system to resist wind loads on the tall, but narrow and essentially hollow, structure; minimally-invasive modifications to the existing garage structure to accommodate new building loads; and the creation of a great-room lobby space within what was once a vehicle ramp into the garage.