By September 20th, the footprint of the new Annenberg Public Policy Center was obvious to anyone traversing the 36th Street walk on the Penn campus. The $41.5-million structure will be located adjacent to the AnnenbergSchool for Communication.

To provide additional electrical power for the new APPC building and 13 other nearby buildings on campus, a trench was dug across Walnut Street at 36th. Street. (The Penn Bookstore is in the background.) The plastic conduits had to be heated and bent to circumvent existing infrastructure.

At the construction site itself, soldier beams were sunk into the ground to support wooden shoring for the foundation. (The AnnenbergSchool is located in the background.)

Special shoring was installed for the elevator that will serve the four-story glass and wood building, designed by noted Tokyo architect Fumihiko Maki.

Occupancy is set for late summer 2009. The building is a gift of the Annenberg Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands.