- Type Master Plan, Visioning
- Services Architecture
- Awards AIA Eastern PA

The Challenge
Unlike suburban campuses, which often stand as islands awash in concrete and grass, the campus of Reading Area Community College is defined by two unique edges. Views of the campus can be seen from the Penn Street Viaduct and the southeastern corner of the bridge’s connection. Reading is no stranger to flooding, and the area that makes up RACC’s campus has been hit several times by historic floodwaters. As recently as 2006, the school bore the brunt of heavy flooding at a high cost.

Our Approach
Pre-dating Reading Community College by more than 100 years, the Penn Street Viaduct is a landmark to the community and an important gateway to the city. The bridge plays an important role as a campus element – a physical structure that is exclusive to the college and creates a sense of placemaking among the internal and external community. The master plan considers repositioning buildings toward the eastern edge of campus in order to minimize future flooding as much as possible. This brings the campus closer to the urban edge and positions RACC as a proactive community partner. Further, it expands the campus’s natural edge and extends the beautification along the riverbank.

Design Solution
Alloy5 created a conceptual site plan based on the goals of RACC’s strategic plan. Academic and administrative buildings sit perpendicular to the Penn Street Viaduct on the urban edge of campus. Two buildings parallel the bridge and form several quads which stretch to the campus’s nature edge. The southernmost quad is an activity quad, designed as a dynamic space for campus life. Next is the academic quad, which features a classically collegiate walkway. To the northern end of the bridge is the arts quad bookended by the Miller Center for the Arts and the Schmidt Training and Technology Center.


alloy_5
May 8
Always building—spaces, culture, and a little friendly competition.
Construction is underway at our Allentown office, but we’re not letting that get in the way of a little fun.
Dust, drills, and cornhole—just another day with the #5gang.
#Alloy5 #AllentownOffice #AlwaysBuilding #WorkInProgress #OfficeCulture #DesignInProgress #CoachMark #cornholechamps #Surfside #BigAl ...
alloy_5
Apr 10
Snacks, swivel chairs and sketching // Calypso Elementary School`s Curious Cougars program brings third graders on field trips to local businesses for hands-on learning. We drank apple juice, ate snacks and talked about design before hitting the Vault to create and present sketches. Thank you for the visit, Cougars, we`ll see you in the neighborhood. •
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• #5gang #fieldtrip #thirdgrade #architecture #architects #designers #officelife #snacks #swivelchairs #sketches #littlediggers #eachoneteachone #communityconnection #didyoucutthatapplejuice #bethlehempa #lehighvalleypa #westsidebestside ...
alloy_5
Mar 9
Heart of the Valley // Our friends at @allentowncitypa asked us to create a collectible for their @saquon celebration. We cooked up these limited edition trading cards featuring an iconic image from @sfdigitals. The event benefited @masbfoundation Saquon’s nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth. Congrats to the Super Bowl champ on an incredible season and thanks for celebrating with us in @lehighvalleypa. #5gang #graphicdesign #designers #tradingcards #cardcollector #gemmint10 #philadelphiaeagles #gobirds #superbowllix #weare #keytothecity #allentownpa #lehighvalleypa ...
alloy_5
Jan 20
Can you DIG it? // Design Integration Group sessions bring architects and designers together to sketch, discuss and plan. Today`s topic is Easton Area High School. #5gang #architects #designers #architecture #archilife #officelife #design #sketching #redrovers #lehighvalleypa #snowday #inthevault ...
alloy_5
Dec 23
“For it is plain as anyone can see, we’re simply meant to be.” // We carried the spirit of Halloween Town straight into Christmas this year and celebrated our offices in Bethlehem and Allentown. Happy holidays from your friends at Alloy5 💚
#5gang #bethlehempa #christmascityusa #happyholidays #nightmarebeforechristmas #goodbyelila ...