Design Profile: SORA West

SORA West brings big changes to Conshohocken. Located just outside of Philadelphia, the project adds to the area's resurgence and reputation as an industry haven. Keystone Property Group engaged Gensler in the planning, concepts, and base building for this new development with a series of ambitious goals. Simultaneously maximizing Class-A office space while incorporating hospitality and lifestyle elements is no easy task for a single locale, but the result is an impressive testament to the power of design to seamlessly blend disparate aspects of life into one meaningful experience. At the project's core is a new 440,852-square-foot office building, Cencora's new global headquarters, carefully crafted to improve the employee experience, as well as an adjacent 127-key Hotel West & Main, creating an unparalleled level of convenience and rounding out Conshohocken's hospitality offerings.  

The public plaza is where the development comes to life for Conshohocken. A central green and stage create opportunities for concerts, movie nights, farmers markets, and Eagles game viewing, serving a crucial purpose for both SORA West tenants and the surrounding community. The adjacent 1800s firehouse—a historic community staple—is repositioned as the hotel's entrance on the ground floor and restaurant on the second, blending old with new and preserving history in a truly engaging way. To satisfy logistical needs, a new parking garage will accommodate the new activity, ensuring ease of access at all times. Businesses alone do not make a city, it is all that supports them and their employees: the restaurants, hotels, parks, and infrastructure. When all of these elements come together, it makes for a human experience both full and fulfilling. SORA West is the rare development that accomplishes all of this at once, and it will continue to add to Conshohocken's vitality for years to come. ■ 

Project: SORA West  

Location: Conshohocken, PA  

Client: Keystone Development + Investment  

Project Size: 440,852 sf (office), 467,146 sf (garage) 

Project Team:  
Gensler (Design/Architect)  

Garage Design (Architect)  

Ground Reconsidered (Landscape Architect) 

IMEG, Formerly The Harman Group (Structural Engineering) 

Pennoni (Structural Engineering) 

Bala (Civil Engineer) 

BEAM (Lighting Designer)  
Miller, Beam & Paganelli (Acoustical Consultant) 

Lerch Bates (Vertical Transportation Consultant)  

Jensen Hughes (Life Safety Consultant) 

Intech (General Contractor)  

Photos: Prakash Patel