I-76 Trade Center

The Opportunity

Located within an industrial and retail corridor along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and nestled among existing barns, silos, and a historic farmhouse, this distribution center blends past with present. Capitalizing on the site’s high visibility from the Turnpike and Pottstown Pike, our team created a different kind of distribution center—one that speaks to both the ethos of the developer (previously Audubon Land Development) and the heritage of the site.

Our Approach

In researching the history of the site and surrounding rural area, the team found inspiration in barn quilts, a tradition dating back to the Pennsylvania Dutch who in the 1800s began painting quilt patterns on barns to celebrate their heritage and bring good fortune. A barn quilt revival began in the early 2000s with “Barn Quilt Trails” cropping up around the country to celebrate the rural countryside and its architecture while providing recreational activity and stimulating local economies. The design pays homage to this tradition by incorporating a barn quilt design into the highly visible corner façades as beacons celebrating local culture and heritage. Corners are further defined with significant glazing and canopies. Supported by stone-wrapped columns, the canopies incorporate local materiality and break down scale. Subtle patterned white precast wraps around the corner, alternating with deep gray reveals along the façade to create movement and visual interest.

Program

Industrial distribution center with office space

Partners

BL Companies, Civil
LJB, Structural
Rock Brook, MEP/FP
Alston Construction, Contractor

Photography

Samuel Markey Productions