One rationale for elevating the tower on pilotis was to soften its landing and open a path into Drexel's evolving greenway. But the concessions are undermined by the tower's one-story companion, which houses an apartment for the dorm's adviser and mechanical systems. All three sides are blank walls, including the one facing the greenway. The south-facing wall is worse: With its corrugated metal and a visible cooling tower, it looks like the back end of a refrigerated warehouse.
The price of designing this exciting form does seem to be a weakness in the details. You can actually see the fire stairs' unattractive green insulation boards pressing against the glass in the two clefts. What's the point of spectacular windows if they're blocked? The views from top-floor event space may be breathtaking - but seen from a distance, the penthouse takes on the appearance of a classical colonnade. Weird.