The Racquet Club of Philadelphia is the proud steward of its private clubhouse, built in 1906 with a design by renowned architect Horace Trumbauer, and took advantage of an opportunity presented by the implementation of structural repairs to bring back the historic grandeur of their original design.

The indoor pool had originally opened up to an elaborate Turkish bath which had been reconfigured over the years but continued serving as the primary shower area for members. However, its deteriorating condition included failures in the structural slab below. In order to repair the slab, all of the interior finishes had to be removed, so the club decided to simultaneously improve the shower area as a whole.

A new configuration created well-defined shower and toilet areas with a floor that was elevated and sloped to allow for both proper drainage and full accessibility. Original materials were reused where possible, and were supplemented by sensitive new materials: matching marble wall panels, mosaic marble floor tiles, white subway ceramic tiles, pressed aluminum ceiling, cage lights, and salvaged shower fixtures all come together to recreate the luxe feel of the original Turkish bath.

PUBLICATIONS

• "Reviving the Stonework of a Philadelphia Landmark." StoneWorld Magazine, April 2019.