Harrison College House

Project History

Completed in 1970, Harrison College House is situated on Penn’s “superblock”, a large college quadrangle created by closing intermediate streets and turning them into walkways, surrounded by a mix of student housing and related University buildings. It represents one of three high-rise dormitories on campus, the others being Harnwell College House and Rodin College House. The top floors of the rear façade appear to stand on glass columns. The T-shaped, poured-in-place structure is in the Brutalist style, and houses approximately 800 students.

The building was previously coated with a competitor’s mineral silicate paint, which had faded. Conproco offered a single-source manufacturer for all the products required, ensuring a fully compatible system. Corroded rebar was treated with ECB corrosion inhibitor, which offers some advantages when used on high rises. The product is water based and single component, limiting mixing on scaffolding. It can be used as a concrete priming coat, so application is fuss free, and it has a bright orange color, easily identifying completed areas. Hand patching was done with Conpro Set, a single component, polymer-modified repair mortar. The repaired façade was then coated with 2 coats of M3P, a low-VOC mineral silicate paint. M3P has a siloxane component, providing long term protection from water and carbonation.