EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY - SYNAGOGUE

CLIENT
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc

LOCATION
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

STRUCTURE
Opened in 1829 as part of a controversial movement to change the behavior of inmates through "confinement in solitude with labor," the massive stone structure became one of the most expensive and most copied buildings in America.  More than 300 prisons worldwide are based on the Penitentiary's radial or “wagon-wheel” floor plan.

CHALLENGE
The prison’s historic Synagogue was in total disrepair.  Funds were raised to completely restore the Synagogue to its original state.  Milner+Carr Conservation diligently dismantled all of the woodwork, deteriorated plaster, and floor tiles, and carefully restored everything before bringing it back and reinstalling it in its original place.  Care had to be taken to preserve as much original fabric as possible.  Charged with coordinating the skylight restoration with a new HVAC system, the main challenge to S. Harris was to design a system that could not be seen inside the newly restored Synagogue.

SCOPE OF SERVICE
  • Participation en charette to determine the level of restoration appropriate for the space.
  • Design a venting solution through restored skylights.
  • Coordinate installation of an HVAC system with interior finishes and skylight restoration.
SOLUTION
  • Provide design documents for the HVAC contractor to use in sizing the venting through the skylights.
  • Provide construction administration throughout skylight restoration and HVAC installation.
  • Assist Milner+Carr with design details for proper ventilation of the newly installed finishes.
HISTORIC STATUS
Eastern State Penitentiary is a National Historic Landmark and is under consideration for a World Heritage Site nomination.