The Wharton Academic Research Building is a new, five-story, 74,100 GSF addition to Steinberg Dietrich Hall, originally built on the University of Pennsylvania campus in 1952. The new facility, situated on a triangular site over a new campus substation, includes classrooms, conference rooms, academic offices, and student study and social space. The building’s distinctive brick and glass exterior overlooks a restoration of Woodland Walk, a sequence of paved pathways connecting University of Pennsylvania to Drexel, West Philadelphia, and Center City. Front’s scope included the curtain walls, featuring faceted and underslung areas, porcelain spandrel panels, and frit patterning that was tuned to privacy and solar shading needs. Front’s scope also included a custom glass solar shading system, painted aluminum and porcelain rainscreen cladding, and glazed entrance doors. Front provided consulting services from design development through contract administration.