Design Profile: South Chester Road

Constructed in the 1960s, this four-story private office building was acquired by Swarthmore College in 2013. The building, home to several administrative departments, retained many of its original mid-20th-century elements, including a single-glazed curtain wall system. That curtain wall no longer met today's standards for energy efficiency, thermal performance, or aesthetic appeal. Updating the exterior of the building, which is situated prominently on campus, provided an excellent opportunity to enhance both its functionality and Swarthmore's institutional image. Zimmerman Studio led the design for the new curtain wall assembly, focusing on high-performance glazing solutions and thoughtful design elements. The resulting system features double-glazed curtain walls equipped with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings, substantially improving the building's thermal insulation and reducing energy consumption.

To further enhance occupant comfort and mitigate solar heat gain, projecting sun shades were integrated on the southwest-facing facade, strategically blocking harsh afternoon sunlight without sacrificing natural daylight. A standout feature of the design is the custom graphic pattern applied to the spandrel panels. This pattern draws inspiration from the chemical composition of Wissahickon schist, a metamorphic rock native to Greater Philadelphia and widespread throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.  

Project: South Chester Road 

Location: Swarthmore, PA 

Client: Swarthmore College   

Project Size: 26,000 square feet 

Project team:  

Burns Engineering, Inc. (MEP Engineering) 

Keast & Hood (Structural Engineering) 

LF Driscoll (Construction Management) 

Advanced Glass & Metal LLC (Curtain Wall)  

Aegis Property Group (Owners’ Representative) 

PHOTOS: HALKIN MASON PHOTOGRAPHY