Changing the Landscape of Pittsburgh

In every direction, change is taking place in Pittsburgh.

Hotels and office buildings are popping up on the North Shore, the Cultural Trust’s RiverParc, a mixed-use new project on Eighth St. is on the horizon downtown along with PNC Three which has broken ground. Along the Mon River, South Side Works continues to expand with new condos going up. And in Bloomfield, the Children’s Hospital construction looms large, expected to greatly impact the surrounding areas, a promise of change to come.

Pittsburgh’s hilly topography, which so dramatically defines this city, also makes it harder to discern the many changes going on. But in the last few years alone, new built projects, such as Eastside in East Liberty or major renovations such as the $20 million redo of the Terminal Buildings, now River Walk Corporate Center, are changing the landscape of Pittsburgh..

Context, Context Context

Ask any architect: context is everything. Gary Carlough, president of Edge Studios says, “Too often people think about buildings as objects in the landscape, but the powerful outcome of architecture is the residual space that it shapes. “

Think a great building is a great building anywhere? Think again. “You have to think about both the building and the city. That’s how you get better buildings. A city full of iconic architecture could be a horrible place to live, a sculptural museum,” he notes. “What’s more prevalent is expressing individuality while maintaining coherence.”

The new construction in East Liberty—the modern and inviting Eastside, most notably-- and along the Baum-Centre Corridor—with its mixed-use office buildings, both new and renovated—are good examples of new buildings creating change, says Pitt Professor Christopher Drew Armstrong, director of Architectural Studies in the History of Art and Architecture department. “Such construction is starting to knit together the fabric of this city, creating a continuity of neighborhoods where there hadn’t been any,” he says.

Fortunately for Pittsburgh, most projects are done with existing scale and style in mind, rather than trying to create something deliberately original for its own sake. “We see a good sensitivity to that in Pittsburgh,” says Dave Brennenberg, a partner in Brenenborg Brown Group. “Originality, things that visibly stand out, doesn’t necessarily mean good architecture. Good architecture is the stuff that services clients well and is a good neighbor.”

A Welcome Green Space

One recent project worthy of good neighbor status is the transformation of a parking lot into the exceptional green space called Schenley Plaza. With its beautiful plantings, artful benches, pavilion and charming carousel, the former parking lot stands as a welcome oasis of green, lending an air of calm to a high-octane urban neighborhood.

Blocks away on Fifth, the Biomedical Science Tower 3 has added a welcome element of sophisticated design to the dense corridor, ultimately enhancing the neighborhood. The building, designed by local JSA Architects with Payette Associates, won a 2006 Design Award from AIA Pittsburgh as “an unusually handsome urban building.”

Jurors, who appreciated the open glass corners, commented: “They took a complex building and wove a series of handsome facades out of it. There is a good layering and bridging of interior and exterior spaces.” [EP7] A standout in a cluster of high-rises, the Tower could inspire more forward-thinking design in the corridor.

In Friendship, the sixty apartments and six retail spaces of the award-winning Penn Fairmont, designed by Rothschild Doyno Architects, represents a refreshing diversity in the heart of the Arts District. Senior housing. Future lofts and artists workspaces. Retail. It’s one project that connects on a number of levels—a big leap from its former occupant, Eat n Park with its stretch of parking lot.

While these positive changes in neighborhoods benefit everyone, it is especially helpful for elderly and poorer residents, says Armstrong. It’s possible to live in a neighborhood such as Friendship and walk or bike places instead of relying on a car which benefits the environment as well.

The Hottest Link

One of the more intriguing projects mentioned by an architect: the Hot Metal Bridge, now back in use. Jon Shimm, partner with Burt Hill points to this linkage as symbolic of change. Once used to transport metal across the river, today the restored bridge links two new and vital sections of the city—the Southside Works and the Technology Center, connecting people to technology. ”The effect is both physical and psychological,” says Shimm. “And this appeals to a new young, urban-oriented generation.”

Architects agree that exciting new architectural proects, from bridges to modern shopping centers, are drawing attention as well as people—such as families moving back from the suburbs. Brennenborg says, “The changes promote a sense of well-being, a desire to live in the city rather than on the periphery.”

Restoring the Past

It’s not just new projects reshaping the landscape. Restoration is the right blueprint, declares Ellis Schmidlapp, CEO of Landmark Design Associates which has offices in the 106-year old, recently renovated River Walk Corporate Center, previously the Terminal Building. Now housing nonprofits and tech companies, it's a good example of restoration that has breathed new life into a building as well as its surroundings. Restoration, says Schmidlapp, is "what makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh. The town is building on its strengths. It’s the wave of the future. It’s fine to bring in new ideas but also to find what’s been known all along.”

Respecting the past while welcoming the future can be tricky but Pittsburgh has fared well in this respect. “Pittsburgh has always had a unique architectural character, consistent with the feel of the city, rather than just a hodge-podge,” says Ed Shriver, partner at STRADA. “There’s an overall coherence of style—sort of European working class stable, solid: bricks, mortar, steel, cut stone.” He adds that the best architecture is also sensitive to the styles and personalities of everything surrounding it. “It strengthens who and what we are.”

That matters more today than perhaps any other time in history. Unlike previous generations, Gen Y-ers are more likely to move to a city of choice and then find a suitable job. Given the Internet and telecommuting, people are mobile, able to work anywhere these days. “We have a lot more freedom choosing where we live,” says Anne J. Swager, executive director of AIA Pittsburgh. So cities have to work harder to attract workers. “Pittsburgh’s green hillsides and scenic rivers --combined with its architecture, from the skyline to the historic buildings-- present a most compelling case on why Pittsburgh is one of the best places to be.”

---

Photos:

Fairmount Housing

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Riverparc

Schenley Park

Biomedical Science Tower 3

Hot Metal Street Bridge walkway construction

Terminal Buildings

All photographs copyright © Jonathan Greene
except Riverparc courtesy of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust