University of Pennsylvania Moelis Family Grand Reading Room

The University of Pennsylvania’s new Moelis Family Grand Reading Room at the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center creates an inspiring space for focused study. The design creates a refuge for contemplation and respects the modernist tradition of the building while taking advantage of its double-height fenestration, allowing sunlight to illuminate the space while providing campus views. It is visually connected to the surrounding landscape and adds a new functional layer, acoustically separated but connected to the larger library. The project’s main intervention is a monumental hand-made wool-and-silk mural by world-renowned artist Claudy Jongstra. Installed as a triptych, this acoustical tapestry is three separate murals that together allude to creativity, knowledge and wisdom.