2017 - AIA Pittsburgh

DESIGN + INNOVATION: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Penn51 Façade
CLIENT: 11 to 3 LLC
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: mossArchitects
DESIGN TEAM: Andrew Moss, AIA; Darren Lloyd, Rebecca Murden
ENGINEERS: Conway Engineering
CONTRACTORS: P2 Contracting, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Anthony Musmanno

INTENT: The Penn51 project, one of many 1-3 story building facades along the Bloomfield and Garfield commercial corridor, is nestled in the center of the Penn Avenue business district; an area that has been the focus of revitalization, with a strong emphasis on the arts. The design solution seeks to reinterpret the facade as a folded skin that simplifies and unifies its previously disconnected property while adding an artful reinterpretation and visual activity to the busy commercial avenue. The design aims to connect with the larger Penn Avenue streetscape, hoping to add to the revitalization of the corridor and inspire continued development.

JURY COMMENTS: This is a clever way to unite store frontage. It has to be light, relatively inexpensive and thoughtful. This project achieves its goals and could even be extended, episodically down the street; or removed at a later date. It’s thoughtful to its surroundings and inherently flexible – and casts a cool shadow.

DESIGN + INNOVATION: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: RE_DEMPTION: A Wall that Unites
CLIENT: The Heinz Endowments
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Urban Design Build Studio
DESIGN TEAM: John Folan, AIA; William Gott
AFFILIATED ARCHITECTURE FIRM: IKM Incorporated, Tenant Fit-Out
ENGINEERS: Atlantic Engineering Services, M&J Electric, Studio I Lighting
CONTRACTORS: PROJECT RE_, Trade Institute of Pittsburgh Apprentice Training Program, Mascaro Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Urban Design Build Studio

INTENT: A feature wall for The Heinz Endowments’ community meeting space upholds a mission to reuse materials, rebuild communities, and restore lives. A wall system employs scrap steel blanks utilized in apprentice training to create a surface of aggregated aesthetic value. The product of a collaboration between a design-build entity, an organization that provides a second chance to people through training, and a material re-purposing center, the process of constructing the wall has given salvaged materials and people a chance at redemption.

JURY COMMENTS: It’s an innovation to build with the steel blanks that student welders use for practice, which usually get thrown away. It shows the process of skill being developed, and is a nice metaphorical reference to the mission of the foundation where it is placed.

Design + Innovation Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: FIRST COURSE
CLIENT: FIRST COURSE Café
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Urban Design Build Studio
DESIGN TEAM: John Folan, AIA; Alise Kuwahara Day, UDBS Fellow;
STUDENT DESIGNERS: Garrett Rauck; Candace Ju; Yoon Ho Oh; Sophie Nahrmann; Kelsey Simpson; Anthony Nitche; Rachel Muse; Matthew Lin; Connor Smith;
CONTRACTORS: PROJECT RE_, Trade Institute of Pittsburgh Apprentice Training Program
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Urban Design Build Studio

INTENT: FIRST COURSE is a mobile, adaptable, coffee kiosk built from waste material that has provided a low-barrier opportunity for entrepreneurship. It is composed of a fleet of modular, pre-fabricated carts, each with a specific function, that aggregate to form a complete cafe kiosk. It is operating in a previously under-utilized warehouse lobby, providing access to food and coffee for the building’s population.

JURY COMMENTS: This is a really thoughtful idea that is well realized and detailed. It’s a complete concept that solves many problems: the materials are recycled; it closes in on itself for compactness and security; it can be moved or placed in a variety of locations easily; it creates jobs.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: The Aspinwall Marina
CLIENT: Aspinwall Riverfront Park, Inc.
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Fisher ARCHitecture
DESIGN TEAM: Eric Fisher, AIA; Janet Longenecker; Joey Reid; Lin Hou; Katie Meier; Iliya Jordanoff; Hallie Dumont
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Environmental Planning & Design
ENGINEERS: Loftus Engineers, LLC
CONTRACTORS: RD Stewart Company
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Eric Fisher and Environmental Planning & Design

INTENT: The problem: A chaotic collection of unusable buildings. The solution: Subtractive architecture. The act of demolishing the newer Marina buildings on the site has restored the project to a simpler, more natural state. Now the remaining buildings are free to act both as objects, marking the edge of the water from afar, and also as filters, creating framed views of their surroundings for visitors. We have renovated the existing Aspinwall Marina buildings into a community Welcome Center that celebrates both nature and Pittsburgh’s industrial heritage. Thanks to grassroots community efforts and the skilled work of landscape architects, “Environmental Planning and Design”, the campus has become one of the most innovative green spaces in the Pittsburgh region.

JURY COMMENTS: We really liked how this was originally built as a working building in a public area, and how it continues to be a working building. It works in sympathy with its environment and doesn’t try to outshine the setting – and by being itself it helps bring activities back to the area.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Union Trust Building
CLIENT: The Davis Companies
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel, Elkus Manfredi Architects, Wessling Architects
DESIGN TEAM: Kevin Wagstaff, AIA; Joseph Filar, AIA; James Pasquarelli; Amy Ahn; Howard Elkus, FAIA; Elizabeth Lowrey; Sam Norod, AIA; Ross Cameron; Ross Cromarty; Bryan Premont; CT Nguyen; Oren Sherman; Laetitia Degoul; Moeko Hara; Elizabeth Stevens; Stephen Wessling
ENGINEERS: CJL Engineering, Atlantic Engineering Services
CONTRACTORS: Mascaro Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jim Judkis Photography, Robert Benson Photography, Andrew Bordwin Studio

INTENT: The project transforms an iconic historic landmark building into a vibrant destination in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. The design restored and revitalized the building, and created attractive, Class-A office space, with exciting restaurants and retail, while respecting the context of the original historic building.

JURY COMMENTS: The award is for the exterior renovation, which reflects a very high level of quality. We recognize the refined features of this historic building could not have been easy to work with.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: ACE Hotel
CLIENT: Y Hotel, LP
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: mossArchitects with Wildman Chalmers Design, LLC
DESIGN TEAM: Andrew Moss, AIA; Chad Chalmers, AIA; Nathaniel Rice; Elijah Dolly
ENGINEERS: Atlantic Engineering Services; Loftus Engineers, LLC
CONTRACTORS: PJ Dick Incorporated
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Rob Larson Photography, Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: The former 50,000 square foot YMCA building, circa 1910, designed by Architect Thomas Hannah, was transformed into the new ACE Hotel. The design challenge was to integrate a hotel program with modern amenities into the existing YMCA building, while actively preserving the rich historical details and characteristics of the century-old structure. The building had been vacant for over a decade and a state historic tax credit was key to the project’s success. Many of the neighboring East Liberty developments that had been undertaken prior to this project were often criticized for destroying the historic foundation of the community. This project worked to preserve the building’s rich history while becoming a catalyst for further historically-mindful development within the community.

JURY COMMENTS: This is a really sensitive and creative example of hotel reuse of a historic property. Often in such a scenario you see the interior modernized and decorated in a way that is not reflective of the building’s original character, and here you see the opposite. There’s an honesty in how the building design retains and repurposes the gathering spaces from the former YMCA.

REGIONAL + URBAN DESIGN: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Dubai Water Canal Pedestrian Bridges
CLIENT: Meydan Group, Roads and Transportation Authority of Dubai, Meraas Development
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: AE7 Pittsburgh
DESIGN TEAM: Jeff Wetzel, AIA; Alec Templeton; John Kim; Kerem Serifoglu; Tamer Ismail
ENGINEERS: Parsons, CH2M
CONTRACTORS: Besix
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Yasser Ibrahim

INTENT: The pedestrian bridges stitch together the banks of the newly created Dubai Water Canal (DWC). They promote walkability in an otherwise car-centric city while offering breathtaking views of Dubai. Connecting new and old neighborhoods together, each of the three bridges are envisioned to represent the history and development of Dubai – Past, Present and Future. At their core, the pedestrian bridges have the intent to connect communities across the canal and broader context. They draw residents and visitors, by foot, to the water’s edge and will engage them in the waterfront developments currently planned and mobilizing. The bridges create a new place for social interaction, community engagement and most importantly thoughtful connectivity across an urban landscape. The bridges are now among the most visited sites in Dubai, mainly by foot or on water. Offering a viable option to vehicular travel across the site, each bridge also has a marine station integrated into the boardwalk beneath. Promoting the use of marine transport over cars, by 2020, the Road and Transportation Authority of Dubai believes DWC’s marine stations (a total of 20) are expected to jump from one million riders per year to four million. This is the equivalent of approximately 2.9 million journeys by vehicles on roads.

JURY COMMENTS: These bridges – representing past, present, and future – make the pedestrian experience playful and joyful. Crossing those bridges would be an engaging experience.

REGIONAL + URBAN DESIGN: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: 8th Street Park
CLIENT: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: GBBN Architects
DESIGN TEAM: Anne Chen, AIA; Gary Carlough; Matthew Manzo, AIA
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Origin 4 Design
ENGINEERS: Sci-Tek Consultants, Inc.
CONTRACTORS: Flyspace Productions
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: Located at the corner of a parking lot along a well-traveled street, the 8th Street Park is an oasis of sustainability within a parking and transportation node in downtown Pittsburgh. The Water Cube dispenses free still and carbonated water which encourages the use of reusable bottles and discourages the wasteful consumption of disposable bottles. The glowing glass cube hovers over a stainless steel cylindrical pedestal, giving it the appearance of levitation throughout the night hours. The glass enclosure houses a sophisticated LED lighting system which pulsates rhythmically—downtown Pittsburgh’s beating heart– as a reminder of the connection between life and water. It’s an iconic model for sustainable living and transforms a pathway into a destination.

Additional site elements are modular and shift to blur the edge of the sidewalk. This blurred edge allows for a re-linking of the sidewalk to its context creating place from residual space. Park elements include the sculpted terrain, bent steel and aluminum benches and bike racks all articulated with a common language. Mounding of the earth coupled with abundant plantings of varying height along the parking lot obscures the view of the cars and parking beyond; plantings along the back edge provide a wall that asserts the streetscape as an outdoor room. The design knits together the adjacent urban buildings and a linear green park centered on the fountain.

JURY COMMENTS: This project takes a water dispenser, an object that often goes unnoticed, and makes it into an object that defines the space. It’s very simple and smart. The cube is like a little Japanese cartoon character. It even glows in the evening, adding to how it creates a welcoming place.

REGIONAL + URBAN DESIGN: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: 501 Braddock
CLIENT: TREK Development Group
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
DESIGN TEAM: Mike Gwin, AIA; Ken Doyno, AIA; Drew Mosher, AIA; Melanie Buzgan Dower, AIA; Daniel Tse, Arthur Notaro, Assoc. AIA; Kim Rullo
ENGINEERS: AWK Consulting Engineers, Inc.; Atlantic Engineering Services; Iams Consulting, LLC
CONTRACTORS: Mistick Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: Braddock’s once-thriving commercial district deteriorated over time and experienced a significant impact with the closing of a regional hospital along Braddock Avenue. The new 501 mixed-use building offers hope by providing valuable commercial space on Braddock’s main street, housing a new community urgent care center, retail space, and live/work maker studio spaces.

JURY COMMENTS: The process, problem-solving, planning, and the architecture are all well done. It feels so complete. The project is as much about transforming a community environment as it is about the buildings. The team clearly cared a lot about the process of community engagement. A project like this is not easy to pull off on a lot of levels, but it succeeded on all levels.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream
CLIENT: Millie’s Homemade, LLC
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: DeNinno Architects, LLC
DESIGN TEAM: Jeffrey DeNinno, AIA
ENGINEERS: Iams Consulting, LLC; Adam Milliron Studio
CONTRACTORS: Facility Support Services, LLC; Linkrist Construction, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Adam Milliron Studio

INTENT: The project was particularly challenging because the raw space was small and awkward. The intent was to maintain the openness of the space and focus the attention on the serving counter and servers. The materials are sparse, clean and bright. The intended experience is to invite people into the store and make them feel welcomed to buy ice cream and leave happy. Ice Cream = Happy.

JURY COMMENTS: It’s fun, clean, well organized, simple and inviting. It captures the concept of ‘ice cream shop’ without being at all branded or patronizing or corporate. The graphic elements are very complimentary of the interior finish language. Said one juror: “It just tastes like ice cream to me.”

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Sorrells Library, Carnegie Mellon University
CLIENT: Carnegie Mellon University
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: GBBN Architects
DESIGN TEAM: Anne Chen, AIA; Amanda Markovic, AIA
ENGINEERS: Allen & Shariff
CONTRACTORS: Mosites Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: Four fabricated insertions carefully arranged in a field of infrastructure improvements that accommodate human comfort and the utilization of technology modernize the library space to invite a variety of study uses. The contrast between the rectilinear concrete envelope of the existing space and the curved amber bamboo of the interventions is enhanced by the play of natural daylight on the disparate materials, and the scale differences between the space and the assembly of the inserted forms. The freestanding wood formation in the center of the space defines a variety of zones of engagement from active and collaborative to more quiet and insular. A ‘cabana’ structure articulates open collaborative nooks, while a ‘den’ at the rear of the space provides program area for digital scholarship events. A series of modular project rooms for enclosed group work provides a buffer between a zone for focused work and a more active lounge space. On-site construction was limited to only a single month and facilitated the install of light fixtures that further reinforce the study zones and the distribution of power and air. Fabricated off-site in a studio and installed in two weeks, the interventions were strategically developed to minimize library service interruption.

JURY COMMENTS: The wood inserts are a very smart, strategic intervention. They modernize the space while keeping the integrity of the original building. You can also take these elements out at a future date if desired.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Mindful Brewing
CLIENT: Mindful Brewing Company, LLC
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: mossArchitects
DESIGN TEAM: Andrew Moss, AIA; Shannon Ashmore, Anna Foster
ENGINEERS: Tait Engineering; Schneider Engineering, LLC; WNA Engineering
CONTRACTORS: P2 Contracting LLC
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Anthony Musmanno

INTENT: Mindful Brewing is the transformation of a prior automobile garage turned grocery market into a state-of-the-art restaurant and craft brewery. The design worked to create a modern and sustainable establishment while utilizing the existing structure and architectural features. The restaurant’s menu and brews revolve around local-sourcing, growing much of their produce at a local urban farm while incorporating native ingredients and products. This sustainability philosophy is carried through the design of the space with the use of dining tables crafted from salvaged wood, seating made of reclaimed polypropylene and wood fibers, Zero Zone high-efficiency bottle coolers, and LED lighting.

JURY COMMENTS: The project feels sensitive to its surroundings. It knows what it needs to be, fits in well, and sends a message that it is a fun place. We particularly like the use of the neon sign that harks back to earlier times when the building was a grocery.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC): Fallingwater Visitor Center Restroom Renovation
CLIENT: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Pfaffmann + Associates
DESIGN TEAM: Rob Pfaffmann, FAIA; Greg George; Dori Tompa; Jared Pohl
ENGINEERS: Iams Consulting, LLC
CONTRACTORS: Sota Construction Services, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: Constructed in 1980, the visitors center was designed to be mindful of Fallingwater while not conflicting with it. The resulting octagonal pavilions are ecologically sensitive—floating lightly in their forest landscape—but the restroom pod offered limited amenities and access and a dated aesthetic after nearly 35 years of use. The redesign, fit within the existing form, is functionally accommodating and visually inviting. Natural light casts shadows that change throughout the day and with the seasons. A back-lit, translucent wall embedded with birch branches brings the natural rhythms of surrounding stands of oak, hemlock and rhododendron into what was once a mundane, disconnected space.

JURY COMMENTS: The project transforms a utilitarian bathroom configuration into an interior space of quality, with great light and materiality. Said one juror: “There is monumentality in this very small, simple space. There is a rooted-ness to it – like a bathroom Louis Kahn would have designed.”

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: 21c Museum Hotel Nashville
CLIENT: 21c Museum Hotels
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel with Deborah Berke Partners
DESIGN TEAM: Alan Weiskopf, AIA; Brent Houck, AIA; Jessica Stuck, AIA; Deborah Berke, FAIA; Terrence Schroeder; Gabriel Ce, AIA; Gunnar Burke
ENGINEERS: I.C. Thomasson Associates, Structural Design Group
CONTRACTORS: R.C. Matthews Contractor
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mike Schwartz Photo, Chris Cooper Photographer

INTENT: The transformation of a historic hardware store and warehouse in downtown Nashville to a boutique hotel, 24/7 art gallery for the public, and destination restaurant celebrates authentic culture and sense of place of Nashville. The design highlights the history of the Gray & Dudley Hardware Company building while creating a contemporary experience reflecting the vibrancy of Nashville today. The project’s highly tactile material palette and custom details throughout draw on the idea of craftsmanship embodied by the warehouse building, and connects the hotel to the city’s continuing tradition of making art, objects, culture, and food. 21c is a place where visitors and residents alike feel right at home.This is just a fantastic holistic design with delightful spaces. It is engaging, offering elements of surprise. The effort to bring in natural light really livens up

JURY COMMENTS: This is just a fantastic holistic design with delightful spaces. It is engaging, offering elements of surprise. The effort to bring in natural light really livens up the space and helps draw the visitor from area to area.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: Trade Institute of Pittsburgh
CLIENT: Trade Institute of Pittsburgh
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Urban Design Build Studio
DESIGN TEAM: John Folan, AIA; Alise Kuwahara Day, UDBS Fellow; Student Designers: Zach Bauer, Chris Chan, Matt Dawson, Dan Gehr, Laleh Gharanjik, J William Gott, Shaohua Guan, Kevin Hyun, Sandra Kalanyan, Jason Kim, Ying Lin, Runyu Li, Harris Mazur, Jess Rinn, Sharon Rubin, Ziwen Shen, Xiaoxi Song, Kyle Woltersdorf, Chiaowei Yu
ENGINEERS: Newcomer Refrigeration & HVAC, Bella Electrical Services
CONTRACTORS: Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, PROJECT RE_
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Urban Design Build Studio

INTENT: Trade Institute of Pittsburgh (TIP) is the headquarters of a non-profit apprentice training program for individuals re-entering society after incarceration. A compositional game was played to balance simple building systems with the assets of the existing warehouse space and program requirements. Design and construction of the tenant fit-out were completed on schedule and on a budget of $37/sf. The performance allowed TIP to expand their capacity for providing mission-critical programming.

JURY COMMENTS: This submission is very clearly argued with excellent composition and narrative. The light, the white – it is an understated background. It feels like a place for good, honest work. The architects had to be subdued and let the building shine. The project pays an enormous amount of respect to what happens there.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Sky Towers
CLIENT: Al Fattan Properties
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: AE7 Pittsburgh
DESIGN TEAM: Jeffrey Wetzel, AIA; John Kim; Matthew Fineout; Mohamed Mohasseb; Martin Vargan; Tamer Ismail
ENGINEERS: AE7
CONTRACTORS: Delta Al Emarate Building Contracting Co.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: AE7

INTENT: The primarily industrial surroundings of the site created a challenge to offer appealing views to prospective residents. By incorporating a podium and elevating the residential program to the 4th floor, the design opened-up extensive view corridors towards the nearby golf course and the creek, as key points of interest. Creating the comfort of home-away-from-home, the Sky Towers offer all of the amenities necessary to enjoy short or extended stays. Located just minutes from Dubai International Airport and near many of Dubai’s bustling business districts, the towers offer all the comforts of home to travelers, pilots and commerce-related professionals looking for convenient access to both the airport and downtown. Sky Towers are among the first mid-to-upper level residential developments in the primarily industrial area of Umm Ramool. Designed in response to the shortage of this tier of residential offering, the towers hope to serve as a catalyst for future residential, retail, food and beverage, and other lifestyle developments in the area. The design offer home comfort as well as accessibility to the airport and Dubai’s business district. The matrix configuration of the Sky Towers façade is the manifestation of our information era, a formal undulation of cubic protrusions like a visual symphony of digital musical notes.

JURY COMMENTS: The project is a very clean, transparent design with well-chosen material and interesting moments in the façade. And it nicely addresses the sun and shade of the environment.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Byham Center for Dance
CLIENT: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: IKM Incorporated
DESIGN TEAM: Joel Bernard, AIA; Melanie Como Harris, AIA; Doug Lieb, AIA; Daniel Snider; Robyn Engel, Assoc. AIA
ENGINEERS: Allen & Shariff; Atlantic Engineering Services, Inc.; The Gateway Engineers, Inc.
CONTRACTORS: Jendoco Construction Company
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Warner; Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: After successfully growing its education program, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre needed its Strip District location to grow with it to support their mission of performance, training, and community engagement. The new facility puts dance on display with transparent studio spaces, a two-story atrium, and an exterior that mimics the flow of dance. The contemporary facility now serves as a shared resource for dancers and community members alike in one of the city’s most vibrant cultural hubs.

JURY COMMENTS: The building doesn’t dance – it’s under control. It does everything it needs to support the dancer, and nothing to get in the way. It’s like an incomplete sentence and the dancer completes it.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Penn-Mathilda Apartments
CLIENT: ACTION-Housing, Inc.
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: mossArchitects
DESIGN TEAM: Andrew Moss, AIA; Nathaniel Rice
ENGINEERS: Iams Consulting, LLC; Schneider Engineering, LLC; Langan Engineering & Environmental Services
CONTRACTORS: Repal Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jason Snyder Photography, mossArchitects

INTENT: Located on a site that had been blighted for years, the new Penn-Mathilda Apartments were designed on a community-identified key redevelopment parcel, which helped to spearhead the long-term development of the Garfield and Bloomfield East End districts. Additionally, the development was focused on affordability, with an emphasis on providing housing for Veterans. The design of the residential units strived to break the mundane expectation of affordable-housing with the introduction of high ceilings and large windows bringing abundant light into the building’s apartments.

JURY COMMENTS: This is an affordable housing project that strengthens the neighborhood. It has great texture, scale, utility, and context, and it reinforces the corner placement.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: The Foundry at 41st
CLIENT: Fort Willow Developers and Walnut Capital
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
DESIGN TEAM: Daniel Rothschild, AIA; Mike Gwin, AIA; Kevin Kunak, Assoc. AIA; Drew Mosher, AIA; Robert Tunon, AIA; Jeff Kalina; Kim Rullo; Daniel Tse
ENGINEERS: Atlantic Engineering Services, Allen & Shariff, Clearstory, Caruso Design Group
CONTRACTORS: PJ Dick Incorporated
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: How does an edgy, contemporary building rise from the ashes of Pittsburgh’s gritty, industrial past? This former brownfield, with vacant steel mill buildings, was partially demolished leaving only an iconic steel-framed structure that serves as a public plaza. The memory of the industrial heritage of the site became a powerful inspiration for the design of the new apartment building adjacent to the public plaza. Form and materials of the new building relate to the former steel mill buildings and connect to the history of the community. The new apartment building is voluntarily set back from the street to offer a public parklet to the neighborhood, and to highlight the entrance to the adjacent public plaza.

JURY COMMENTS: This project handles its public spaces really well. The folding doors in the interior shared space are a really nice connection to the outside space, and the common roof deck is a great amenity. Overall, the project sets a good precedent for whatever comes next in the neighborhood; it’s an invitation to quality.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: UATC Research Center
CLIENT: Uber Advanced Technologies Group
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Strada Architecture, LLC
DESIGN TEAM: Edward A. Shriver Jr., FAIA; Grace Ding; Claudia Saladin; Kevan Rutledge
ENGINEERS: WNA Engineering, Atlantic Engineering Services, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services
CONTRACTORS: Continental Building Company
PHOTOGRAPHERS: David Aschkenas Photography, Dennis Marsico

INTENT: Research is by definition the effort to explore the unknown and understand how things work. The UATC project seeks to create a place that supports and enables that effort, supports those who engage in the creative exploration of what could be and how it might be achieved.

JURY COMMENTS: This is a quality re-imagination of an existing structure. It gives an old building a new identify and yet the original structure is still visible. Great clean, techy interiors, especially the car area.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: East Liberty Bike Shelter
CLIENT: Eastside Limited Partnership III
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Studio for Spatial Practice
DESIGN TEAM: Christine Brill, AIA; Jonathan Kline; Jen Gallagher
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Design Collective
ENGINEERS: Suhrie Engineering, LLC
CONTRACTORS: Mosites Construction Company
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Studio for Spatial Practice

INTENT: The East Liberty Bike Shelter was designed to be an attractive new landmark within the wider expanse of East Liberty Station. The design program was accommodating 80 secure bike parking spaces within a tight footprint. The open-air pavilion-like structure was designed to give bike ridership greater prominence and to celebrate the multi-modal, accessible nature of the fully-redesigned Transit Center. When experienced from outside the structure, the Bike Shelter is sculptural and is crafted at a finer scale than most elements comprising East Liberty Station. The structure is uplifting and lightweight, and bike parking is secured behind a playful, articulated wood screen wrapping all four sides. The cedar material, used on the underside of the roof, is inviting and warm and references materials found on surrounding buildings. Integral lighting makes the structure appealing even at night. The Bike Shelter sits on the edge of the new bus station, adjacent to new bus shelters and the new station entry plaza. The design is visually impactful, contrasting with the neutral palette of many of the infrastructure elements, and serves as a new landmark for bike riders seeking secure parking while riding the Busway or visiting surrounding business districts.

JURY COMMENTS: The bike shelter comes across as great infrastructure, instead of what you often see built for this purpose – a not so great building. One juror said: ”I like the way the exterior boards slant – it makes me think of the way a bike angles as you ride it. It also suggests tall grass, bringing in a sense of the natural environment to an urban structure.”

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit

PROJECT NAME: Superior Motors
CLIENT: Kevin Sousa
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Studio for Spatial Practice
DESIGN TEAM: Christine Brill, AIA; Jonathan Kline; Jen Gallagher
ENGINEERS: BDA Engineering, Inc.; Herron Engineering; Suhrie Engineering, LLC
CONTRACTORS: Absolute Win
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Studio for Spatial Practice

INTENT: Transforming a vacant Braddock car dealership into a destination restaurant was a design challenge in many respects. We preserved the raw industrial nature of the space, preserving and reinterpreting materials native to the site (concrete, brick, and steel) while introducing new elements (wood glass, fiberglass, and fire) in a way that celebrates their raw materiality – similar to the way that Chef Kevin Sousa honors his ingredients. The restaurant is intended to be experienced as a living part of Braddock, inspired by its people, history, and perseverance, and reinterpreted through architecture and cuisine. The spaces were designed to encourage patrons to linger and savor the food and ambiance, and the centerpiece is the live-fire hardwood grill, creating a focal point and transition between the bar and the open kitchen. Through large glass windows facing onto Braddock Avenue, patrons can observe steel mill operations and the living-flame spectacle of impurities burning away several stories up in the sky. Superior Motors breathes new life into a long-vacant Braddock storefront. It is part of a larger “eco-system” of projects and initiatives that together will have a greater impact on the local community, providing amenities, jobs and training opportunities. The restaurant’s design is understated from the outside, expressing the building’s new identity through cedar shading devices that frame the windows on Braddock Avenue. The restaurant interior is intended to be like Braddock itself: perhaps initially surprising but thoroughly approachable, inviting and amazing.

JURY COMMENTS: The tone is right and it feels homegrown. The exterior strikes a great balance with the industrial context of the community while marrying well with the interior use for fine dining. It does this despite the constraints inherent in the old building. The kitchen area is given the same level of consideration as the public space – it feels like there is a lot of respect to all parties in this design.

ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: Frick Environmental Center
CLIENT: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
DESIGN TEAM: Michael Maiese, AIA; Robert Aumer, AIA; Patricia Culley, AIA; Michele Mercer; Jason Brody, AIA; Gina Rossi
ENGINEERS: Barber & Hoffman, H.F. Lenz Company, RAM-TECH Engineers
CONTRACTORS: PJ Dick Incorporated
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Nic Lehoux; Alexander Denmarsh; Massery Photography, Inc.

INTENT: The Frick Environmental Center acts as a living classroom for environmental education by providing hands-on opportunities to experience nature and learn about sustainable design. Porous indoor and outdoor spaces showcase panoramic views and provide multisensory learning experiences suited for students of all ages and learning styles. Be it children playing on the outdoor amphitheater or a gathering of neighbors enjoying the park views from the living room, the Center welcomes all to experience a living building and be immersed in this natural urban refuge.

JURY COMMENTS: The project performs well environmentally, is beautifully integrated into its surroundings, and the interior spaces have great atmosphere. The building is quiet and supports the environment. It’s like the box in a theater, with the surrounding nature being the performance.

ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: Cohon University Center
CLIENT: Carnegie Mellon University
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: CannonDesign with LGA Partners
DESIGN TEAM: Philippe Dordai, AIA; John Reed; Demos Simatos; Don Reeves; Patrick Delahoy; Michael Corb, AIA
ENGINEERS: CannonDesign, Pennoni Associates
CONTRACTORS: Mosites Construction Company
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Scott Frances

INTENT: First, the addition needed to act as a new front door for the Campus on Forbes Avenue. When originally conceived the University Center turned its back on the then rough and tumble Forbes Avenue, but now with the campus expanding down Forbes to the new Tepper Quad, this side of campus needed to open itself up to the street and city beyond. This is the first CMU building that directly engages with Pittsburgh’s streetscape, it also establishes the standard for the new landscape treatment for Forbes Avenue within the campus precinct. Second, building exiting and a large outdoor service yard needed to be gracefully accommodated. The design team pushed and pulled on the master plan specified building footprint to create a massing that addressed Forbes and created a sheltered service court. Third, this new addition needed to fit comfortably with the architectural language of the campus. The majority of the campus was designed by two architects (Henry Hornbostel and Michael Dennis). The new addition takes design cues (materials, proportions, placemaking, etc.) from the existing architecture and reinterprets it in a more contemporary and complimentary fashion.

JURY COMMENTS: It’s not too much or too little. It is nicely dignified for a college campus. Similar materials to the existing structure are used but do something completely different. In the previous building it is about ‘massing’, and in the new building it is about ‘light and airy’.

ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: Rural Chapel
CLIENT: Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Midland Architecture
DESIGN TEAM: Matthew Diersen, AIA; Greg Dutton
ENGINEERS: Schneider Engineering, LLC
CONTRACTORS: Withrow Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jay Gullion, Liz Dutton

INTENT: The project addressed a need of the rural Ohio town of Lafferty, which had lost its sole church to a fire. By creating a gathering and worship space within the town’s cemetery, the chapel can additionally function as a memorial space. The design sought to address a desired timelessness, both of form and longevity, through the use of locally-sourced, low-maintenance materials and construction.

JURY COMMENTS: It’s welcoming, exactly what a meeting place like this should be. It’s also a nice place just to be private, contemplative. It feels very local, to the site and of the community. The materials are beautiful and the craftsmanship really stands out – just really well done.

ARCHITECTURE: Honor Award

PROJECT NAME: Taussig Cancer Center
CLIENT: Cleveland Clinic
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Stantec Architecture, Inc. with William Rawn Associates
DESIGN TEAM: Bruce Knepper, AIA; Jennifer Storey, AIA; Mike Mills; Ivan Nemecek; Samual Lasky, AIA
ENGINEERS: Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers, LLC; LeMessurier; Osborn Engineering
CONTRACTORS: Turner Construction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Robert Benson Photography

INTENT: The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute was conceived as a cutting-edge and patient-centric care environment that would foster greater collaboration, communication, and research among physicians and care providers in the fight against cancer. To provide patients with the most comprehensive and effective care environment, we worked in partnership with a panel of former cancer patients, caregivers, and our design partner, William Rawn and Associates, to plan and design outpatient cancer treatment services in one location. The Institute is organized by cancer type and designed for the caregivers to come to the patient, creating a seamless, all-inclusive personalized experience.

JURY COMMENTS: The organization of the building is very clean, clear, and disciplined. Those standardized features you find in hospitals aren’t here; no plastic chairs and hard surfaces, and no effort to trick you into thinking you’re in a hotel. The spaces and emphasis on natural light are very sensitive to patient care. All of the elements we liked are carried throughout the project.

YOUNG ARCHITECTS STUDIO COMPETITION: Award of Excellence

PROJECT NAME: Growing Pittsburgh
CLIENT: Selina Bitting, Assoc. AIA

JURY COMMENTS: We were very impressed with the entries and intrigued by the diverse aspects of equity that the entrants chose to address. The winning submission combines the “tiny-house” with urban density, while cleverly providing for movement of air, people, and light. We appreciated that the
design stayed within the provided “site dimensions” and envisioned appealing to many different user groups including newcomers, young professionals, the elderly, and veterans. These differences were studied and accommodated by envisioning a structure that could be applied to many different situations and locations.

Most importantly, the project asks: What if we could grow and infill neighborhoods without displacing those that remain in these neighborhoods? How can we welcome new people into our community
while leaving existing homes intact and available?

The winning design met that mark by infilling with density without displacement.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

I really like the use of daylighting as the primary illumination.
This is a beautiful space both inside and out. It gives a fresh and open perspective in Pittsburgh’s strip district. The natural lighting and view in/from the upper studio is superb.
I dance here, and it’s a special place for us all to practice. We love this building, from the Pilates room to the studios, to the main staircase. It’s beautiful. Thank you all!
Clean lines and a great blend of modern and traditional. Very hard to make that Simple.
As a staff member at PBT, I’ve witnessed the positive and significant impact of the new annex on a daily basis. Not only does it benefit our staff, company, and students, but the community as well. I haven’t had one person from the community come into the building who has not expressed their amazement towards the building.
The building is gorgeous, love seeing this as I drive down Liberty Avenue.
The massing of the building’s geometries are simple and cubic, but pleasing architecturally. The finish materials give it a very modern and inviting appearance.