A Boathouse Rehabilitation Underscores the University of Pennsylvania’s Values while Showcasing Its Legacy

1st Place, Historic

Boathouse Row, located along a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River, is one of Philadelphia’s most cherished landmarks and includes the Burk-Bergman Boathouse, home to the University of Pennsylvania’s three varsity rowing programs. Constructed in 1874, it is one of the oldest boathouses in the country. However, the facility has not been able to keep pace with the program’s demands and needed a comprehensive renovation to help Penn Rowing meet its full potential.

The rehabilitation and reuse of the boathouse represents the most significant individual investment by the university in preserving and augmenting a key cultural structure. At the start of the project, EwingCole’s design team, working with the university’s leadership in Facilities and Athletics, recognized the outsize importance of its success. It would bolster Penn athletics and recruiting, but—just as importantly—it would also help protect Boathouse Row’s legacy and affirm Penn’s past, present and future contribution to the sport of rowing in Philadelphia.