Kimmel Bogrette completed Interior Design services for the new Environmental Education & Visitors’ Center at the Jenkins Arboretum. Located in the heart of the Main Line of Philadelphia, the Arboretum is one of the area’s major horticultural and environmental assets. The new Center was envisioned as a Tree House that looks out over the tops of trees in the surrounding botanical gardens. The interior spaces function as a gateway from the parking lot to the gardens. The carpeting pattern lays out a pathway that leads visitors through the airy spaces and welcomes the outside in. Spaces include a conference room, reception desk, gift store, environmental education areas and restrooms. Sustainable design features on the interior include waterless urinals, LED lighting, the use of existing furniture, sustainable materials for carpets and finishes, as well as geothermal heating and cooling.
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Fellowship House of Conshohocken
Fellowship House is a 64-year-old institution serving the children of Conshohocken, PA. Fellowship House’s overall mission is to provide recreation and educational opportunities for the citizens of Conshohocken and the surrounding area. This service is accomplished in a professional, wholesome, socialization/skill-oriented environment that helps children develop a positive attitude about themselves and their community. The original structure had not been touched since its construction in 1946 even while the demands on the programs increased over time. With the exception of the original gymnasium, the balance of the building was structurally unsound and was out of date both spatially and aesthetically. Project challenges were: 1) budget, 2) context and contemporary culture, and 3) pre-existing site development. The budget demanded that a single space be designed to serve a second gymnasium, multi-purpose space for community events, performances and large group activities. The solution used this single space in concert with a single access entry point to break down the mass of the building into multiple “residential scale” sloped roof boxes.
