The Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) was established in 1994 at the University of Pennsylvania. The Center conducts research, holds lectures and conferences, and convenes roundtable discussions concerning media, communication, and public policy; among its better known programs are the National Annenberg Election Survey, FactCheck.org, and the National Public Radio show "Justice Talking."
The APPC’s new facility contains offices, conference rooms, a broadcast studio, and a multi-purpose space for lectures, presentations, and other Center and University events. Its exterior material palette of layered glass and wood complements nearby buildings, while still presenting a modern, open image befitting a program dedicated to public policy. The resulting effect of this layering has been dubbed "a warm transparency." Deference to adjacent building volumes and eave lines further integrate this modern vocabulary with the scale and spirit of the surroundings.
The interior design of the APPC extends these themes of transparency and openness, striving for connectivity and flexibility amongst the various research interests. Open and private offices and the stair towers ring the perimeter of the building. The core contains kitchenettes, bathrooms, storage, and mechanical spaces. A three-story atrium links all the spaces of the building, from the multi-purpose "agora" space on the first level, to a skylit lounge on the fourth. This atrium is crowned with a faceted metal and glass roof, adding to the sense of dynamism and tying the rectangular massing of the building to its surrounding context of sharply peaked roofs.
