The Wanamaker Building

The Wanamaker Building Overview

The Wanamaker Building is a National Historic Landmark in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was originally home to one of the first department stores in America--a grandly innovative shopping destination--and houses the largest operating musical instrument in the world, the famous Wanamaker organ, which is still played on a regular basis today.

Tantillo Architecture was charged with renovating the interior public areas that serve the building's upper-level offices and event venues. Working with F+S, the project included designing elevator interiors that were on-budget while modernizing 22 cabs with materials and finishes that remained true to the history and grandeur of the space.

Updates outside the building -- the work of SALT Design Studio -- included the addition of Light Column Pedestrian Lighting and Knight Benches with custom wall-top mounting to provide comfortable places to pause without taking space from the busy pedestrian corridor.