Pelli Clarke Pelli Architect’s Circa Centre in Philadelphia

Cira Centre is a 435-foot tall office tower built using the air-rights over the rail yards of Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The gleaming prism-like tower embellishes Philadelphia’s skyline and serves as a gateway for the region. Because Cira Center’s surroundings lack urban density, full views of the building can be had from several directions. It is meant to be read as a single, crystalline, sculptural object. The third project designed by the firm using air-rights over a train station, the project includes a grand foyer at the base of the tower. Cira Centre expands Philadelphia’s downtown across the Schuylkill River into a barren region occupied by the train station, the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University to make one urban complex.