Thoughtful design integrates wellness resources into daily student life
AOS Architects collaborated with Archbishop John Carroll High School and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to convert an underutilized interior space into a vibrant, 6,600-square-foot student Wellness Center, a facility dedicated to supporting students’ academic, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Transforming the former library into the newly reimagined Connelly Wellness Center brings together a student lounge and gathering space, a guidance and mental-health suite, collaborative breakout rooms, conference rooms, a spiritual gathering area, and IT support facilities. This design embodies the school’s holistic mission of providing academic support, counseling, and faith formation services all in one central hub.
The welcoming “hearth” configuration supports both informal student interaction and structured gatherings. Around this hearth, furniture clusters support relaxed gatherings and study sessions, meeting pods and banquettes provide quieter collaborative zones, and two conference rooms serve broader program needs. Existing high-volume ceilings and clerestory windows supply daylight to the space.
Centrally located, the Connelly Wellness Center ensures that wellness resources and supportive services are easily accessible to students throughout their day at Archbishop Carroll.
Project Team:
MEP/FP Engineer: PSquared Consulting Engineers; Structural Engineer: Larsen & Landis; Cost Estimator: International Consultants, Inc.; Owner’s Representative: Aegis Property Group; Construction Manager: Adams Bickel Associates; Photography: Greg Benson