From the 2023 Educational Interiors Showcase: The Ralph J. Roberts Boys and Girls Club
Nov. 10, 2023
The Philadelphia facility was recognized as an outstanding design in the Historic Preservation category.
The Boys Club has served the youth of Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood since 1898. The clubhouse and its programming have declined over the years, and by 2016 the building could no longer operate. To avoid destroying the landmark, demolition was scrapped in favor of a transformation of the deteriorating clubhouse into The Ralph J. Roberts Boys and Girls Club. The exterior needed massive restoration, and historic elements were to be salvaged. Spaces created include a literacy center, learning center, STEM class, tech center, teen center, two gyms, music room, cafe and game room. The transformed Ralph J. Roberts Boys and Girls Club now provides programming after school, on weekends and during the summer for over 3,000 disadvantaged youth annually.
Read more about The Ralph J. Roberts Boys and Girls Club and view a photo gallery at SchoolDesigns.com.
