Enhancing the Social Experience

St. Martin’s Clubhouse

Philadelphia, PA

Founded in 1854, The Philadelphia Cricket Club is one of America’s premier private, family-oriented, full-service country clubs. Being the nation’s oldest country club, it holds a cherished heritage in athletics and caters to its members, families, and friends by offering exceptional recreational and social experiences. In 2019, the club embarked on a five-year master planning process with EwingCole and landscape architect Ground Control, which focused on enhancing the club’s St. Martins and Flourtown Campuses.

A central objective of the master plan’s initial phase was to elevate the St. Martin’s Club House dining experience, foster social interaction among members, and expand the dining and bar seating capacity. EwingCole’s new design scheme takes its queues from the club’s rich history, sporting culture, and adjacent Wissahickon Valley. To create a more relaxed and open floor plan, the team removed walls surrounding the central bar, increasing daylighting and establishing sightlines to striking views of the Great Lawn. The banquet kitchen on the lower level was reconfigured to optimize the existing footprint and facilitate events in the Ballroom, Cricket Room, and Blue Room. Furthermore, the central kitchen was relocated to the west on the main level, enabling an efficient flow of culinary operations to support an expanded dining floor plan. The main communicating stair also shifted east to optimize the club’s spatial layout.

A key design element of the renovation involved the creation of a two-story space at the heart of the building, situated above the new central bar. This architectural centerpiece is a focal point, imbuing the club with grandeur and elegance beneath a new third-floor skylight. Introducing an extensive skylight system in the sloped roof above the main level bar floods the space below with natural light, imparting a warm and inviting ambiance. On the third floor, the design team renovated the former attic space, adding a new members’ lounge and business center, providing exclusive amenities and a conducive environment for relaxation and productivity. Adding daylight to the lounge space, the design team meticulously reconstructed five previously existing dormers and added a new cupola above, referencing the building’s originals tragically lost to fire and reviving the club’s exterior charm.