Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign

BACK LOT TRANSFORMATION

Friends Select School is embarking on the creation of a state-of-the-art, outdoor learning space that would revolutionize the school’s educational opportunities for all students and families, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. In creating a dynamic open-air environment for lower, middle, and upper school, the Back Lot Transformation would fundamentally re-envision the Parkway Building’s back lot and playground, resulting in a multi-use, multi-level green space with endless possibilities for play, learning, socialization, collaboration, and enjoying nature. The Back Lot Transformation would also prioritize universal accessibility and campus security in creating a multi-level structure that would be ADA-compliant, adding elevator access to the school’s rooftop athletic field and event space, benefiting both Friends Select’s community and the city of Philadelphia.

For over 330 years, Friends Select has had a symbiotic relationship with Philadelphia, with the city acting as classroom, playground, and laboratory for Friends Select students and educators. As a publicly visible component of the school’s campus, the Back Lot Transformation would bring the school’s continuing physical transformation to the surrounding sidewalks and streets while strengthening the connection between Friends Select and Philadelphia. By reimagining the 16th Street frontage, the school hopes to reintroduce itself to the city in a way that breaks down physical barriers and ensures that Friends Select is an institution that is in the city and of the city. This space would provide new opportunities for engaging children and families from across the Philadelphia area and beyond. 

For this project, a team of architects from Metcalfe Architecture & Design, Studio Ludo, and OLIN incorporated thoughtful input from Friends Select students, faculty, and staff to create a beautiful conceptual design that symbolizes an inclusive Quaker community.  The result is unlike any space in Center City. The Back Lot Transformation is designed to serve all students, creating a green space that welcomes users to socialize, connect, and build community. It is a demonstration of an inclusive Quaker community—a welcoming, multi-use place for all.

For more information about the Back Lot Transformation, or to support the Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign, please contact Christine Jefferson, Friends Select’s chief development officer.

Learn more about our project by downloading our Case for Support. 

CASE FOR SUPPORT