comcast innovation & technology center by foster + partners

comcast innovation & technology center by foster + partners
all images courtesy of foster + partners

plans by foster + partners have been unveiled for the ‘comcast innovation and technology center’, a multi-storey tower located at the heart of philadelphia. the scheme, which is seeking LEED platinum certification, combines spaces for research and technology with areas of recreation and social interaction. the glass and stainless steel structure will reach to a height of 340 meters, forming a powerful addition to the city’s skyline. the $1.2 billion USD project will be jointly developed by the comcast corporation and liberty property trust.

the glass and stainless steel tower will reach to a height of 340 meters

the structure will neighbor the existing comcast center, providing a new hub for the company’s employees – technologists, engineers, and software architects. the proposed tower will also serve as a media center, with local television stations occupying the site alongside local technology startups.

the scheme combines research and technology with areas of recreation and social interaction

a glass-enclosed lobby will compliment an adjacent outdoor plaza, forming a window on philadephia. described as an ‘urban room’ the glazed volume opens the building to the public, grounding the structure within the urban fabric. above, offices and studios are envisaged as loft-like spaces, encouraging a dynamic and integrated way of working. the 59-storey tower will also include a 200-room four seasons hotel, while at its peak a new restaurant will provide panoramic views across the city.

it is forecast that the project will create 2,800 new and permanent jobs within philadelphia. construction is scheduled to start in the summer of 2014, with a completion date targeted for he fall of 2017.

the glass and stainless steel tower will reach to a height of 340 meters

‘this is a very special project. it is an opportunity to create a unique and sustainable model for mixed-use, high density development, which uniquely combines spaces for high tech research and development with restaurants, gardens, fitness facilities and a significant public reception space – a window on philadelphia’, explained norman foster.

‘this is yet another historic moment for comcast. we continue to be proud to call philadelphia our home, and are thrilled to build a world-class media, technology and innovation center right in the heart of the city’, said brian l. roberts, chairman and CEO of the comcast corporation.

liberty property trust chairman and CEO william p. hankowsky commented, ‘liberty is thrilled to again have the opportunity to develop a transformative project for the city of philadelphia, a project that will significantly contribute to the continuing renaissance of center city as a forward-looking yet uniquely livable urban environment.’

the new ‘comcast innovation & technology center’ will feature a large glazed lobby at ground level