University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Silverman Hall

For more than 175 years, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School has evolved alongside the changing demands of legal education while remaining rooted in its distinguished architectural legacy.

At the heart of that legacy is Silverman Hall, the Law School's original home and one of the nation's earliest purpose-built law school buildings. As decades of growth expanded the campus into adjoining buildings, successive renovations gradually diminished the grandeur of Silverman Hall's historic interiors. The challenge was not simply to modernize three outdated classrooms, but to reimagine them as inspiring learning environments that honor the building's history while supporting the future of legal education.

Guided by a comprehensive campus plan developed by Voith & Mactavish Architects, the rehabilitation carefully peeled away decades of insensitive alterations to reveal the scale, craftsmanship, and architectural character envisioned by Cope and Stewardson in 1900. Historic plaster ornament was meticulously restored, original proportions reestablished, and a sophisticated palette of contemporary interventions introduced with restraint. Flexible seating configurations, advanced audiovisual technology, integrated lighting, enhanced acoustics, and improved accessibility were seamlessly woven into the historic fabric through reversible design solutions that preserve the integrity of the landmark interiors while accommodating future change.

Rather than treating preservation and innovation as competing priorities, the project demonstrates how each can strengthen the other. The restored classrooms celebrate the Law School's architectural heritage while providing dynamic spaces that support collaboration, discussion, and evolving models of teaching. More than a restoration, the project reaffirms Silverman Hall as both a cherished historic landmark and a vibrant center for twenty-first century legal education.

Awards:

• AIA Philadelphia Chapter Honor Award, Historic Preservation/Adaptive Reuse (December 2020)
• IIDA PA|NJ|DE Visionary Interior Design Award in the Education/Institution category (under 30,000 SF) (December 2025)
• The Chicago Athenaeum/The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, American Architecture Award (November 2021)
• Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia Grand Jury Award (June 2021)
• IIDA PA/NJ/DE Design Award, Best in Education/Institution <30,000 sf, (December, 2020)
• SCN, 2020 Install of the Year(November 2020)