A Bridge Between Past & Future

The oldest brick structure in the area, the Federal House at Penn State Behrend is gracefully preserved and elevated by an expansive addition. The addition—a light and spacious modern barn—slips into the steeply graded site and links to the historically significant building by way of an elegant, glass bridge.

At the same time, the building provides a new home for the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE), an initiative of Penn State Behrend’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In a county where one in three children under the age of five live in poverty (in the city of Erie, PA it’s nearly half), CORE fosters positive youth development and a culture of hope through mentoring and education programs. 

Creating a space of inclusion and security, the design communicates to its young visitors that they are valued. While the barn’s large, glass walls draw a compelling contrast to the solidity of the Federal House, its dark gray zinc panels echo the historic building’s gabled roof. The addition is softened by a warm wood wrap that marks its entrance, welcoming visitors, so whether they’re headed to mentoring sessions in a small meeting room or a program in the 80-person multipurpose space just inside, they know that this place is for them.