VSBA Architects & Planners

01/29/2026

After years of weather and wear along Philadelphia’s Spring Garden Street, it was time to restore the iconic “GUILD HOUSE” sign on Robert Venturi’s historic 1964 building.  VSBA collaborated with Vitam Signs to renovate the main sign above the entry as well as the balcony guards.

We created full size templates to replicate the existing artwork then painstakingly matched colors to the original paint.  The original bent metal guards were demounted, sandblasted to remove rust, refinished with high quality automotive paint, then reinstalled.

We expect the refurbished sign and guards should last decades before needing another refresh.

12/17/2025

11/26/2025

VSBA Architects & Planners wishes a joyful Thanksgiving to you and yours!

09/03/2025

Last chance to vote for VSBA in this year’s DesignPhiladelphia Awards!

Voting is open through this Friday, September 5th:

https://app.rankedvote.co/rv/dpawards2025/vote

VSBA is nominated in three categories:

Local Community / Social Impact:  VSBA’s South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center has had such a tremendous and positive impact in shaping the health, education, and social unity of its Point Breeze / Newbold neighborhood.

Accessible Design:  For St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, VSBA designed a new entry pavilion and renovated its historic sanctuary to make the church universally accessible to all congregants.

Lifetime Achievement:  VSBA’s president Dan McCoubrey is nominated for his lifetime of brilliant design and leadership with VSBA and Venturi, Scott Brown!

Thank you so much again for your support!

08/12/2025

VSBA has three nominations in this year’s DesignPhiladelphia Awards!

Voting is open through Friday, September 5th – please vote for VSBA today!:
https://app.rankedvote.co/rv/dpawards2025/vote

VSBA is nominated in three categories:

Local Community / Social Impact: VSBA’s South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center has had such a tremendous and positive impact in shaping the health, education, and social unity of its Point Breeze / Newbold neighborhood.

Accessible Design: For St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, VSBA designed a new entry pavilion and renovated its historic sanctuary to make the church universally accessible to all congregants.

Lifetime Achievement: VSBA’s president Dan McCoubrey is nominated for his lifetime of brilliant design and leadership with VSBA and Venturi, Scott Brown!

The DesignPhiladelphia Awards celebrate those shaping the future of Philadelphia’s design industry. Winners will be celebrated on Friday, October 3rd at DesignPhiladelphia’s Kickoff Party.

Thank you so much for your support!

08/07/2025

Human interest story!  Last week, VSBA donated some extra rolls of plotter paper to North Light Community Center, a phenomenal organization that provides a range of services for people of all ages -- and our Manayunk neighbors.  Some of North Light’s children used the paper to draw portraits of themselves and we wanted to share them!

06/25/2025

Today we’re celebrating what would have been Robert Venturi’s 100th birthday! -- and celebrating the insightful, humane way architecture was reshaped by the ideas and practice that he and Denise Scott Brown pioneered!
 
And people around the world celebrate with us, with discussions and panels and presentations at MAXXI (Rome) and beyond.
 
Three cheers!  One hundred cheers!  Viva Venturi!
 
Credits:
1.  Bob posing. Unknown photographer, c. 2000s
2.  Bob in China.  Unknown photographer, 2004
3.  Bob and Denise, Andreas Laszlo Konrath, c. 2013
4.  Some of Bob’s many loves

03/17/2025

"Because my mother had done architecture, I grew up thinking architecture was women’s work. When I entered the [architecture school], there were only five women in my class.  And I remember looking around the studio and thinking, what are all these men doing here?"

March is Women's History Month! We're celebrating Denise Scott Brown's vast contributions to our firm and to the practice of architecture around the world.  At the same, we're celebrating women throughout the profession!

Here we see Denise teaching in an undated, 1960s photo.

02/07/2025

02/05/2025

Our skylight at CCP is almost complete!  Last few panes of glass going in this week!

01/15/2025

Did you know VSBA has multiple projects going at the Community College of Philadelphia?  One is our replacement of the skylight connecting the historic Mint Building to the Bonnell Building.  And here’s a shot of it -- construction underway! 

(Photo thanks to James McDonald of GMI Contractors.)