This historic Rittenhouse Square property was vacant for many years and encompasses five property lots with a 5,800 square foot footprint. The unique project preserves the historic exterior facade of the property while constructing a completely new mansion behind those historic walls.
The first structural engineering challenge for this project was to brace the existing exterior facade of the home so that behind the walls the interior could be completely gutted and reconstructed with a 30 foot deep tennis court bunker below the house. Structural steel bracing was designed and installed on the exterior of the home going through existing window openings to brace the exterior walls and essentially sandwich them to the steel using cantilevered steel beams.
The next structural engineering challenges were in the unique features of the new mansion, specifically the 30 foot deep concrete bunker that houses a full tennis court with viewing mezzanine. The mansion also features a full lap pool and fitness room on the 3rd floor and an interior atrium with a retractable glass roof.