A proposed annex to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia contains numerous facilities for performances, rehearsals, faculty work, and leisure. Based on the movements of a standard symphony, the four programmatic groups of the building each contain different levels of activity. The lowest floors, corresponding to the first movement, are the performance spaces, meant to give a first impression of the institute. Offices and classrooms, the quieter spaces, inhabit the second movement, while the third movement houses the rehearsal rooms. The final movement, the most energetic, contains the leisure spaces and lounges, areas which will potentially prove the noisiest.

Located in the middle of Philadelphia, the site provides all the major challenges of an urban location. A small site footprint severely restricts the size of each floor, requiring a more vertical design. In addition, tall buildings nearby inhibit the amount of natural daylight, requiring a design which maximizes the amount of sunlight in each space.

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