2222 Market Street

Overview

2222 Market Street redefines Philadelphia’s commercial corridor with a workplace tower that connects people, community, and urban life through flexible, high-performance design.

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Client

Parkway Corporation

Expertise

Office Developers Brand Design [FPO] Climate Action [FPO] Sustainability [FPO] Sustainability Strategy Wellness

Opportunity

A prominent gap in Philadelphia’s evolving skyline creates an opportunity to establish a workplace destination that strengthens community, identity, and connection.

Located along a key corridor in Center City West, the site represented one of the last undeveloped parcels within a rapidly evolving district. The challenge extended beyond delivering premium office space. The project needed to bridge Philadelphia’s industrial heritage and modern commercial future, respond to a constrained urban site, create meaningful public engagement, and provide long-term flexibility for changing workplace needs. The result required a design solution that performed architecturally, operationally, and socially.

Why This Matters

01
Supporting Future Growth
Flexible planning strategies allow the building to evolve alongside organizational needs, extending its usefulness and strengthening long-term value for ownership and occupants.
02
Strengthening the City
By filling a key development site, the project reinforces Philadelphia’s commercial core and contributes to continued investment in Center City West.
03
Designing for Resilience
Sustainable performance goals, daylight optimization, and adaptable workplace planning position the building to support changing environmental and business needs.

The theme you’ll see is flexibility,

Solution

By offsetting the building core and shaping a contextual massing strategy, the design unlocks flexibility, daylight, views, and urban connection.

The design team developed a series of interconnected moves that transformed site constraints into opportunities. An offset core along the building’s southern edge maximizes exposure to Market Street, expands flexible floor plates, and increases access to daylight and views. The tower's distinctive massing responds directly to zoning requirements while creating outdoor terrace spaces that support wellness and community. A carefully detailed façade combines prefabricated brick panels and curtain wall glazing, drawing on Philadelphia’s industrial character while establishing a contemporary architectural identity. Together, these strategies create a workplace that is flexible, memorable, and built for long-term performance.

From brief to build: transforming a speculative office tower into a highly tailored headquarters shaped through collaboration, resilience, and innovation.

Initially conceived as a speculative office development, the building transitioned into a built-to-suit headquarters after lease execution. Because the design remained early in development, the client and tenant actively informed critical decisions related to workplace experience, building performance, public engagement, and future adaptability. Throughout design and construction, the team balanced evolving workplace expectations, complex urban conditions, and pandemic-era challenges while maintaining a clear vision for a connected and enduring workplace destination.

Welcome to Market West

As Market West evolves, 2222 Market helps catalyze growth and renewed vitality between Center City and the Schuylkill.

Impact

2222 Market Street strengthens Philadelphia’s commercial core by creating a workplace destination that supports growth, activation, and long-term resilience.

The project transforms a highly visible urban site into a fully occupied workplace destination that contributes to economic growth, community engagement, and city vitality.

What Changed Because of This

01
Workplace Experience
Large, flexible floor plates, abundant daylight, outdoor terraces, and expansive city views support employee well-being while accommodating evolving workplace needs.
02
Urban Connection
Ground-floor retail, dining, and public-facing amenities activate the street experience and strengthen connections between tenants, visitors, and the surrounding neighborhood.
03
Future Flexibility
The building's planning strategy supports long-term adaptability, allowing future conversion from a single-tenant headquarters to a multi-tenant workplace environment.

2222 Market Street blends Philadelphia's historic character with modern design, sustainability, and connectivity, creating a vibrant mixed-use destination that enhances the skyline and public realm.

Recognition

Philadelphia Business Journal

A first look inside Morgan Lewis's new $200 million headquarters at 2222 Market Street — a Gensler-designed, 19-story, 305,000-square-foot Center City tower.

Philadelphia Business Journal

Named 2023 project of the year winner with Gensler as lead architect.

Team

Project Leadership

Peter Stubb

Peter Stubb is a Design Director and Principal in Gensler's Baltimore office whose work focuses on transformative civic, transportation, workplace, and urban projects that strengthen communities and elevate the public experience of the built environment.

[FPO] Stephen Freret

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[FPO] Jennifer Sharesky

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[FPO] Alexander Klohr

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FAQ

Why was the core offset in the design of 2222 Market Street?

Offsetting the core maximizes daylight, improves workplace flexibility, increases access to views, and creates more efficient floor plates for tenants.

What sustainable features are included at 2222 Market Street?

The building incorporates energy-conscious façade design, daylight optimization, and performance strategies aligned with LEED Gold and Fitwel objectives.

How does the building connect with the surrounding community?

Ground-floor retail and dining activate the streetscape while outdoor spaces and public-facing amenities encourage engagement with the neighborhood.

What inspired the building's façade design?

The façade combines prefabricated brick panels and curtain wall glazing to reflect Philadelphia’s industrial heritage while presenting a contemporary architectural expression.

2222 Market Street redefines Philadelphia’s commercial corridor with a workplace tower that connects people, community, and urban life through flexible, high-performance design.

A prominent gap in Philadelphia’s evolving skyline creates an opportunity to establish a workplace destination that strengthens community, identity, and connection.

Why This Matters

By offsetting the building core and shaping a contextual massing strategy, the design unlocks flexibility, daylight, views, and urban connection.

From brief to build: transforming a speculative office tower into a highly tailored headquarters shaped through collaboration, resilience, and innovation.

2222 Market Street strengthens Philadelphia’s commercial core by creating a workplace destination that supports growth, activation, and long-term resilience.

What Changed Because of This

Recognition

Philadelphia Business Journal

Philadelphia Business Journal

Project Leadership

Peter Stubb

[FPO] Stephen Freret

[FPO] Jennifer Sharesky

[FPO] Alexander Klohr

FAQ

Why was the core offset in the design of 2222 Market Street?

What sustainable features are included at 2222 Market Street?

How does the building connect with the surrounding community?

What inspired the building's façade design?

[FPO] 3151 Market Street

[FPO] Ideal Tower

[FPO] Fnb Financial CENTER

2222 Market Street redefines Philadelphia’s commercial corridor with a workplace tower that connects people, community, and urban life through flexible, high-performance design.

A prominent gap in Philadelphia’s evolving skyline creates an opportunity to establish a workplace destination that strengthens community, identity, and connection.

Why This Matters

By offsetting the building core and shaping a contextual massing strategy, the design unlocks flexibility, daylight, views, and urban connection.

From brief to build: transforming a speculative office tower into a highly tailored headquarters shaped through collaboration, resilience, and innovation.

2222 Market Street strengthens Philadelphia’s commercial core by creating a workplace destination that supports growth, activation, and long-term resilience.

What Changed Because of This

Recognition

Philadelphia Business Journal

Philadelphia Business Journal

Project Leadership

Peter Stubb

[FPO] Stephen Freret

[FPO] Jennifer Sharesky

[FPO] Alexander Klohr

FAQ

Why was the core offset in the design of 2222 Market Street?

What sustainable features are included at 2222 Market Street?

How does the building connect with the surrounding community?

What inspired the building's façade design?

Related Work

[FPO] 3151 Market Street

[FPO] Ideal Tower

[FPO] Fnb Financial CENTER

Related Expertise