On a breezy, overcast early fall day, members of the Penn community gathered to dedicate the University’s new center for data science and artificial intelligence: Amy Gutmann Hall.
Serving as a nexus for research across all 12 Penn schools, the 116,000-square-foot, six-story building is centrally located on the northeast corner of 34th and Chestnut streets. As the Philadelphia region’s tallest mass timber structure, Penn Engineering’s Amy Gutmann Hall has a significantly reduced carbon footprint, reinforcing Penn’s dedication to sustainable innovation and embodying the University’s commitment to environmentally responsible design.
Interim President J. Larry Jameson expressed enthusiasm for having a new home on Penn’s campus for the burgeoning domains of data science and AI.
Amy Gutmann Hall, said Jameson, “will be a place for discovery and breakthroughs, and there are already so many of these happening at Penn.” Interdisciplinary teams, which President Emerita Amy Gutmann championed throughout her tenure, he added, “are going to make magic happen in this building. We already see these teams coming together to use artificial intelligence to discover new antibiotics. The National Science Foundation has recently supported the RNA foundry to create molecules and nanoparticles that can be used for therapeutic purposes. And this is just the beginning.”
Designed by executive architects Lake|Flato, with KSS Architects serving alongside as associates, Amy Gutmann Hall is slated to officially open in January 2025 and offers a space that fosters cross-disciplinary communication and discovery as three floors are dedicated to state-of-the-art teaching labs, active learning classrooms, and areas that invite spontaneous collaboration.
The upper levels house advanced research centers, where interconnected neighborhoods of researchers can create a dynamic, vibrant atmosphere where ideas can flow freely. The ground floor, meanwhile, serves as a base for data science and AI programming, featuring a large, welcoming student commons, a café, a quiet reading room, and a sleek, modern auditorium in which Friday’s event took place.
Among others on stage for the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Nemirovsky Family Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science Vijay Kumar; chair of the board of trustees Ramanan Raghavendran; trustee, alumnus, and donor Harlan M. Stone; chair of the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s advisory board and alumnus, Rob Stavis; and the building’s namesake, Penn President Emerita Amy Gutmann.
In his opening remarks, Kumar noted that the day marked the beginning of a new chapter in Penn’s leadership in AI and data science, making it a true occasion for celebration.
“The AI and data science revolution will leave very few disciplines untouched,” he said. “It’s accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and technological innovation and providing countless opportunities for enhancing research, teaching and education. I am proud to say that Penn has been at the forefront of this revolution, and with this new building, the sky is the limit.”
Kumar noted that Penn Engineering’s Amy Gutmann Hall centralizes resources that will accelerate the work of scholars across diverse fields while responsibly and safely making the tools and concepts of AI and data science more accessible, strengthening the Philadelphia tech ecosystem. He thanked those who made its existence possible, with a special mention of Stone.
“None of us would be here without Harlan’s transformational and foundational gift, the largest in Penn Engineering’s history,” said Kumar of Stone’s $25 million commitment in 2019.
Stone expressed appreciation for Gutmann’s legacy and continued support of Penn.
“We all know that Amy has been and remains very important to the mission and the values of the University of Pennsylvania,” said Stone, a School of Arts & Sciences alumnus and Penn Engineering parent. “Amy Gutmann has been much more than the longest-serving President in our University’s history; she is also an eminent educator and an incredible voice—loud and clear—for the accessibility of education in our nation, a fundamental part of our democracy.”
He explained the significance of naming the building “Hall,” drawing connections to the role halls have played throughout history as spaces for gathering, learning thorough discourse, and collaboration. From Penn’s own Houston and College Halls to Independence Hall, he emphasized that Amy Gutmann Hall is meant to be a place where ideas from different disciplines intersect, embodying the spirit of bringing people together to inspire progress and foster the University’s commitment to innovation.
After taking the podium, Gutmann, who was the U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2022 until July of this year, emphasized the pivotal role the building will play in advancing collaborative, ethical research in data science and AI, and shared her deep gratitude to Stone for bringing the building to life and honoring her in such a monumental way. She also expressed joy at being back on Penn’s campus.
“I can remember that three years ago—seems like yesterday—where Vijay, Harlan, Rob, and I were groundbreaking this site.” And after finally seeing the building for the first time on Friday, she added how “spectacular” is for its design, but most importantly “for all the people who came together to make it possible.”
Designed with Penn’s vision for a greener future, the building features a high-performance envelope, energy-efficient systems, and low-flow plumbing, cutting energy use by nearly 20% and water usage by 33%. More than 77% of occupied spaces offer natural views, and the 12,000-square-foot green roof reduces the heat island effect while supporting local wildlife habitats, solidifying its role as a model of sustainable design.
Raghavendran spoke to the significance of Amy Gutmann Hall as a hub for Penn’s leading minds in AI and data science, further highlighting the building’s role in fostering collaboration and innovation. He acknowledged the faculty, especially Chris Callison-Burch, professor of computer and information science, as an example of the exceptional talent that will leverage the space to tackle AI’s grand challenges.
“Things we only thought of as science fiction are now becoming realities. And some of those realities will emerge in Amy Gutmann Hall,” he said. “Our world faces many great challenges—in health care, in education, in public policy, in climate and sustainability. At Penn, we take on these challenges. We find solutions.”
Amy Gutmann Hall features an intricate pattern of etched glass on its exterior, merging biomorphic accents with computational design to reflect the fusion of art and technology, and an iconic public work of art that’s poised to become a local landmark. Measuring in at approximately 60 feet, “Cascode,” by Eto Otitigbe will grace the façade of the adjacent parking garage.
As part of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation’s Percent for Art program, “Cascode” weaves together organic shapes, natural materials, and data-driven design elements, symbolizing the convergence of environment, health, community, and computing, and their shared influence on the West Philadelphia community.
Jameson said the public partnership and community engagement were key to the building coming to fruition. “This project also coincided with the creation of a $1.7 million Community Education Fund. This community engaging project, which is led by PennPraxis, has already awarded seven organizations here in the city of Philadelphia’s third district.
“So as data science leaps forward at the University of Pennsylvania,” Jameson added, “we’re also advancing educational opportunities for our neighbors, and that’s just the beginning. From physics to political science, from art to archeology, these are going to be represented here. Amy Gutmann Hall’s potential is matched only by its beauty and just how cool this building is.”
In closing, Gutmann reflected on a maxim inspired by her parents.
“‘Find a path forward or make it,’” Gutmann said. “Penn is making it—here at Amy Gutmann Hall, and throughout the campus, the city, and the world. The future is bright when we work together for good.”
