YASC 2024 Award of Excellence Recipient
Terrace Commons: A Community Hub on the Rise
Rye Ahronson; Amanda Barner; Amy Foster; Radene Jackson; Grace Messner
LGA Partners
This project envisions a new series of connections that would transform and revitalize South Side Park and adjacent Quarry Street into a vibrant community hub that promotes accessible use and reignites the community connections between Mt Oliver and South Side Flats. A new accessible cable car connection from Mission Street to the top of South Side Park offers an iconic view of Pittsburgh and calls back to the heritage of cable-driven public transportation along the South Side Slopes, particularly the St. Clair Incline Plane, whose footprint can still be seen cutting down the Slopes parallel to Ormsby St.
The design of Terrace Commons leverages existing elevation changes to create distinct zones: a Community Plaza, Vista Point, and Community Garden. The Community Plaza stretches along the northwest border of South Side Park, featuring a series of paved pads equipped with utilities to allow for flexible programming, enabling a lively atmosphere year round. The staggered, paved areas of the Plaza utilize abandoned, now reclaimed material from the historic brickyard, which previously occupied the site. This material link between old and new creates a visual connection underfoot, while picnic areas and play areas encourage communal dining and social interaction for nearby residents. Ascending to the Vista Point, either by trail or by cable car, the highest elevation of South Side Park provides a landscaped overlook complete with seating, shade structures, and an elevated canopy view, offering a tranquil space for relaxation and socialization. Descending into the Community Garden, located midway down the slope, visitors and community members encounter garden beds, native wildowers, and fruit trees, promoting hands-on engagement with food production and educational opportunities for all ages. The atmosphere becomes a vibrant tapestry, where families plant seeds, and neighbors share gardening tips. Proximity to the Community Plaza facilitates a farm to market experience unlike any other in Pittsburgh, offering an abundance of local produce to the community of South Side.
The design incorporates sustainable materials such as reclaimed wood, permeable paving, and local stone, reflecting a commitment to environmental stewardship while enhancing the natural aesthetic of the space. Green infrastructure elements like bio-swales manage erosion and runoff while also supporting biodiversity with native plantings to attract pollinators and create a lush environment. The layout includes flexible spaces that enable various events, workshops, and community gatherings. To ensure accessibility and ease of movement, a network of pathways connects all areas, featuring gentle slopes and resting spots lined with native plants. Designated areas for workshops and community meetings further reinforce the garden as a shared space.
Ultimately, the vision for Terrace Commons embraces the development of an engaging and dynamic space that reconnects the communities of Mt Oliver and South Side Flats, and reconnects the community with the greater natural beauty of Pittsburgh.
JURY COMMENTS: The jury appreciated how the submission addressed the many ways vertical circulation could be a catalyst beyond simply connecting two points. Rather than connecting two distinct neighborhoods, the entry conceived of South Side Park, an under-used green space in the South Side Slopes, as a network of nodes of recreation, transportation, socialization, and ecology. The entry tied the history of the park as a quarry and brick yard to the sustainable use of reclaimed materials for the interventions. Aesthetically, the jury was drawn to the organic forms, which fit in well to the park setting. Finally, the jury noted that the proposal could work well with current efforts by the city of Pittsburgh to improve the park.
Rust to Roots: Navigating Pittsburgh’s Slippery Slope to Sustainability
David Kitchen
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
The evolution of slope development in Pittsburgh is deeply intertwined with the city’s industrial history and population growth, where limited flat land gave way to industrialization, and steep slopes became residential zones due to their proximity to work. Early transportation innovations such as stairs, streetcars, and inclines connected these areas, but a lack of zoning and environmental regulations during this growth led to landslides, neighborhood decline, and compromised stormwater management.
Today, revitalizing Pittsburgh’s urban landscape requires embracing the region’s cultural identity while addressing these past missteps. A sustainable design approach integrates high-speed cable railways, accessible trail networks, and adaptive reuse of terraced neighborhoods offers a path forward. This strategy preserves historical transportation features and reuses existing infrastructures, all while introducing low-impact, environmentally-conscious innovations. The inclusion of contour trails and permeable landscapes allows for healthy human ecosystems, outdoor fitness, and mental well-being through activities such as forest bathing. Additionally, community gardens, reforestation projects, and invasive species management further enhance the environmental recovery of the slopes. By fostering social interaction through volunteering programs and reconnecting terraced neighborhoods, this vision for Pittsburgh harmonizes its industrial past with a resilient, sustainable future—ultimately advancing the city’s environmental and cultural revival.
This thesis envisions a Pittsburgh where modern transportation systems and thoughtful landscape design coalesce to protect the slopes, enrich urban living, and restore the natural environment for generations to come.
Pittsburgh Vines
Sarah Connors; Aaron Goodman
Hasenstab Architects
We propose the construction of an air tram system to foster an inclusive sense of community, provide a public service that alleviates the daily grind, and serve a historically overlooked neighborhood. This initiative aims to connect the Hill District and the Strip District, creating opportunities for growth and revitalization. We believe that this connection will enrich the local community and promote relationships between residents and visitors, allowing the community to flourish. Through the intervention of the air tram, we are aiming to create a new pathway which crosses the exiting freeways and bus routes rather than going along with them. We are able to do so by going to the skies. The proposed route is nearly three quarters of a mile with an elevation change of 270 feet. The air tram has been proven to be an effective means of transportation amongst cities that have large topography changes, making Pittsburgh a great candidate. Not only will the air tram provide a new means of transportation it will also create a new attraction for visitors both local and from afar to experience.
Pittsburgh being a city on a wetland causes many environmental headaches throughout the year and our goal is to start to mitigate that problem by creating bioswales along the transit route. One of the identifying features of the air tram system is the center structure which acts as the vertical circulation up to the station as well as a water collector to both help with flood prevention and hillside retention in the impervious urban landscape. By utilizing native plants that are seen in wetlands in the region, these supports will thrive as their own nature reprieve. The water collection feature also acts as an identification landmark to help travelers locate the transit system. Each station is iterating on the idea of the water collector to meet the individual needs of the site and surrounding context.
The air tram station in the Hill District is a portal to the north. Currently residents in the Hill District must utilize downtown or Polish Hill to go to the strip district which is often a fifteen-minute drive. The air tram will only last approximately three minutes once in the air, creating a much more sensible means of travel.
The “HUB” is strategically located at the intersection of Centre Ave and Elmore St in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, a site characterized by a gently sloping field often hosting seasonal farmers’ markets. Adjacent to the Thelma Lovette YMCA and a community center, it is well-served by PRT bus routes 81 (Oakhill), 82 (Lincoln), and just blocks away from route 83 (Bedford Hill). However, the greater Hill District sits atop of a large hill with minimal connection to the north due to the elevation change and the harsh border that Bigelow Blvd creates. The HUB features a greenhouse which serves as a year-round community garden for the residents of the Hill District. The interior space features walking paths, private areas for gardens and event spaces. Community engagement and healthy food centered around a transportation hub increases accessibility to the residents that otherwise may struggle to utilize the garden due to geographical and time limitations.
The support station in the Strip District is located on Waterfront Pl. strategically placed just outside of the strip district close to the 16th street bridge, which allows commuters to utilize this station for not only the strip district, but also as a connection the north shore, and downtown with the Amtrack and Greyhound stations only a short walk away.
The air tram transit system also allows for future expansion which passes through landmarks such as Schenley Plaza, and Allegheny Commons promoting further connection to the city allowing each neighborhood more accessibility and integration with each other. We believe that the air tram system will foster this sense of community as well as providing a public service further connecting the city.
Oxbow Trail
Zach Engelman; Laura Foster; Trevor Klatt; Drew Martin; Gianna Southard
LGA Partners
Oxbow Trail establishes a vital hillside connection between Oakland and the scenic trails along the Monongahela River. The path begins on the hilltop in North Oakland near a residential complex with river views, offering access to an undeveloped site along Fifth Avenue, as well as to the Lawn and Ophelia Parklet. The path leads into the unattractive and abandoned Parkway Tunnel and culminates on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The trail is accessible from top to bottom with stairs scattered throughout providing a more direct path.
The Oxbow Trail design is inspired by the flow of a river becoming a lake. When a winding river floods, it creates a secondary path cutting directly through a sweeping bend. This process creates an “oxbow” shaped body of water. This project emulates the gentle bends and curves of a river, facilitating a gradual descent from each connection point. The path is divided to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists, while a secondary stairway offers a more direct route through the bridge’s meandering design, accentuating the “oxbow” shape.
Along the path, observation decks break traffic flow and allow travelers to take in the views of the Monongahela River and Pittsburgh’s downtown skyline. The observation deck’s design corresponds with the project’s overall theme. The curved shapes and flowing lines of the observation blend with the path’s winding nature.
Among the breaks in the path are three main points of entry: Overlook Park, Fifth Avenue Junction, and Three Rivers Heritage Tunnel. Overlook Park, near Oak Hill Apartments, is a collection of trails and rainwater gardens. Each garden contains native plants, such as Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum), and Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) to attract pollinators and prevent soil erosion and landslides. After meandering through Overlook Park, the user will reach a overlook with views of the Monongahela River, the Southside Slopes, and the downtown skyline. This overlook also provides a decision point where travelers can begin exploring the bike ramp or take a more direct stairway down the hillside.
Fifth Avenue Junction is located just off Fifth Avenue. Centrally located along the trail the user may follow the path upwards toward the serene rain gardens at Overlook Park or downwards under the Boulevard of the Allies before reaching the Lawn and Ophelia Parklet and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. This park provides an open gathering area and a bike/skate rental.
Three Rivers Heritage Tunnel is a revamped version of the abandoned Parkway Tunnel. This tunnel is the final intersection connecting the Oxbow Trail to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Connecting the Oxbow Trail with the Three Rivers Heritage Trail will connect the Oakland neighborhood with Southside, Downtown, and the larger Pittsburgh community.
The Oxbow Trail cascades gracefully down the hillside, linking Oakland to Southside, Downtown, and the broader Pittsburgh community. There are numerous moments along the trail where community bonds can flourish. The Oxbow Trail creates gathering spaces and invites opportunities for connection and camaraderie.
Urban Ascent
Brendan Bogolin; Brad Feitl
SmithGroup
In a visionary response to the challenges of urban connectivity and community access, our architectural design competition entry proposes a groundbreaking cable car system that links the historic Hill District with the vibrant Strip District of Pittsburgh. This innovative transport solution aims to empower residents of the Hill District by providing direct access to the Strip District’s fresh food markets and grocery options, while also enhancing the recreational landscape with a new park initiative.
The cable car system features three highly geometric and angular stations, each serving as both a functional transit hub and a landmark of contemporary architecture. The stations are designed as inspirational forms that encourage a spirit of innovation in Pittsburgh.
a. Station at the Hill District’s Ammon Park
Nestled in the heart of the Hill District, this station serves as a welcoming gateway for residents. With angular facades and a cantilevered roof, it captures stunning views of the city skyline while fostering a sense of community and pride.
b: Station at Frank Curto Park
Situated strategically midway between the neighborhoods, this station provides a unique vantage point of the riverfront. Its design encourages a greater appreciation of Frank Curto Park and the John Henry’s Pittsburgh sculpture, colloquially referred to as “The French Fries on Bigelow.”
c: Station at the Strip District’s [PROPOSED] Waterfront Park
At the edge of the newly developed park in the Strip District, this station encourages visitors to journey to the river or try biking on the city’s river trail network. This new park also serves as a courtyard for the many surrounding apartment buildings and allows ease of pedestrian flow between the various commercial streets of the Strip District.
By seamlessly connecting these two neighborhoods, the cable car system not only improves access to fresh produce but also fosters a vibrant exchange of culture, community, and recreation
Pop Art Park
Joshua Achampong; Ben Ackerman; Kendale Jackson; Bhairavi Kedari; Cassidy Rush
Stantec
Two neighborhoods right next door, but miles apart. Connecting the Hill District with the Strip District, a set of cable cars tie them together while providing novel attractions for commuters. The cable cars and new park trails bring access to an under-utilized zone right near the heart of Pittsburgh.
The forested slope, presently only a thru-way for the high-speed Bigelow Boulevard and railroad lines below have established a noticeable barrier between those on each side. New stations at the base and the top of the slope invite guests to sojourn the meandering trail or hop on one of the cable cars.
Thrilling views of the valley and the city skyline rapidly reveal themselves to those who take the cable car up the hillside. The mid-point stop brings locals and visitors to an eatery and coffee shop with spectacular vistas. The existing Frank Curto Park carries an inhospitable perception due to its proximity to high-speed traffic and narrow dimensions. The design expands it with terraces down the hillside, providing much needed distance and comfort away from the road. A valuable amenity is established for residents. An open sky theatre carved out of the slope creates a one-of-a-kind stage for community events and performances.
The materiality takes on an eclectic character, evincing the playful art scene in Pittsburgh and delivering a nod to one of its most notable figures, Andy Warhol. Slender cast shapes and curvilinear metallic forms contribute a light touch to the hillside; visible but nestled in a way to complement the existing context.
A vision of interconnectedness with cable cars traversing the neighborhood slopes of Pittsburgh with ease could further expand this network. Energy efficient with minimal impact to existing infrastructure, this contextual form of public transit leads the way in tackling challenging terrain in a well-established city; all while giving a nod to its predecessor: the famous inclines that dotted these hills once upon a time.
