Urban Outfitters HQ / Philadelphia Naval Yards

Background:

In downtown Philadelphia, sitting on the banks of the Delaware River, the 132 year-old naval base had been vacant since the late 1990’s. In 2006, MS&R Architects faced the challenge of adapting the five historic industrial buildings into the new headquarters of Urban Outfitters while preserving the unique characteristics of the sprawling decommissioned shipyards.

Objective:

OPTIRA documentation services were used to create as-built drawings of the neglected space for repurposing. The project included the collection of surface geometry of brick and woodwork to show the pockmarks and accretions of time. The buildings were being documented in stages during demolition, making timely and accurate scanning and documentation critical to the project. Optira’s 3D laser scanning enabled MS&R to see the full design possibilities of interior and exterior reclaimed space.

Deliverables:

2D floor plans
Building sections
Elevations of exterior and interior existing building conditions
Documentation of all hidden structures revealed after demolition
3D Revit Model