Presley’s Place just received the People’s Choice Award at AIA Pittsburgh’s Design Awards, demonstrating that there is a growing recognition of the strong impact design has on mental and physical health. Located at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Presley’s Place is named after the son of airport heavy equipment operator Jason Rudge, who originally pitched the idea of a sensory room to Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO, Christina Cassotis, through an employee suggestion box. That simple suggestion led to the design and construction of a 1,500-square-foot space that serves as a respite for travelers with sensory processing issues, and their companions, who may have a need to de-stress while traveling.  Pittsburgh International’s space isn’t just a room, it is an entire...

Name:  Aaron Hill, AIA Firm:  Bialosky Cleveland Family:  Wife – Carrie & 5-year-old twins – Harper (girl) & Hayden (boy) Years in practice:  20 Education:  University of Florida (B. Design) / Georgia Tech (M. Arch) Your first job:  Official scorekeeper at the local little league baseball par Project you’re proudest of:  NASA Research Support Center – A new workplace being depended on to shift the culture of NASA to attract the next generation of engineers and scientists. What have you always wanted to tell your clients?  “They didn’t teach me about you in school.” What’s the most annoying thing architects do?  Not listen Favorite tool (can be digital, drafting, physical,…):  Moleskine Favorite building: TWA Flight Center Favorite outdoor space:  The High Line Architect you’d like to have...

New for Design Pittsburgh 2018, any built project submitted in another Design Awards category is eligible to also be reviewed for the Excellence in Sustainability + Resiliency award category.  This award recognizes built projects that have successfully integrated sustainable and/or resilient building strategies and practices into the design. As defined by the AIA Pittsburgh Design Pittsburgh Committee, sustainability envisions the enduring prosperity of all living things, while sustainable design seeks to create communities, buildings, and products that contribute to this vision.  Resilience is the capacity to adapt to changing conditions and to maintain/regain functionality and vitality in the face of stress or disturbance, while resilient design is the intentional design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and regions in response to these...

The new Spark public patio outside Onion Maiden at 639 East Warrington Avenue in Allentown. Image courtesy Onion Maiden To most of Pittsburgh, new outdoor patio spaces located in Allentown and Downtown may seem to have materialized overnight.  However, these two pilot City of Pittsburgh Spark projects were carefully planned, designed and built over many months. The goal of a Spark is to extend the sidewalk into a street’s parking lane, providing space for gathering and relaxation. Part of the City of Pittsburgh’s Complete Streets initiative, Sparks are part of a long-term effort to enhance businesses and invigorate the public realm in a new and unique way.  Sparks originated in 2010 in San Francisco to convert parallel parking spaces into areas for...

As part of the People’s Choice Award voting this year (over 3,415 online votes), we asked each person to tell us why they voted for their selection.  We received over 1,400 comments and we read every single one!  Here we have a selection of the projects that received the most comments from the general public, the people who use and see the buildings every day. Zerega Residence Addition and Renovations Client: Megan and Todd Zerega Architecture Firm: qkArchitecture Contractor: Jimmy Johns Construction, LLC Photographer: Luke Mawhinney Landscape Architect: Gwen Wisniewski Landscape and Garden Design, LLC Everything was perfect, except for the house. Our clients sought our services as the housing stock in their most desired neighborhood was turning up limited options in their search...

Interior of BRGR Downtown Pittsburgh at 535 Liberty Avenue.  Photo by Candidly Yours Photography With James Beard award nominations growing each year and a solid standing on Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants list several years in a row, there is no doubt Pittsburgh’s food scene has greatly improved over the last decade.  This has meant more opportunities for architects to leave their mark on Pittsburgh’s food renaissance.  Restaurant (and brewery) design is not simple.  This year’s Design Pittsburgh submissions show us how important good design can be for a restaurant.  To see this year’s exhibit and vote for your favorite entry click here. American Natural Harmar Energy Centre Address: 2 Rich Hill Road, Cheswick, PA 15024 Client: Cleopatra Resources, LLC Architecture Firm: DLA+ Architecture & Interior...

Young Architects Forum members at an informal “Salotto” The Young Architects Studio Competition (YASC) is a special competition within AIA Pittsburgh’s Design Awards. Currently in its 8th edition, Nick Doichev, AIA established the competition in 2010 as an opportunity to recognize the talent of emerging professionals (defined as still studying or a maximum of ten years out of school). In years past, much creativity has been showcased, but the 2017 edition is particularly special. For the first time, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) has come up with a theme for the come up with a theme for the competition based on a discussion of Pittsburgh’s needs. In spring 2017 YAF held a series of meetings, informally called “Salottos” – an...

Design Pittsburgh is a celebration of architecture and design, and honors those who create it. Design Pittsburgh raises the profile of architects as critical resources and industry experts in the Pittsburgh region. Through exhibits and events, this program provides excellent exposure of architects’ work to a wide variety of audiences – including potential customers. This year we had: 1,000+ people visited the exhibit during the gallery crawl, PechaKucha Night, and Storey Telling 570 attended the Design Awards Ceremony & Gala 4,582 votes for the People’s Choice Award, a 20% increase from last year 55,990+ unique page views throughout the Design Pittsburgh promotional period Additionally, Design Pittsburgh highlights the importance of good design in our region – and how our members, sponsors, partners, and...

Name: Miguel A Rivera, FAIA Firm: Miro Rivera Architects, in Austin, Texas Family: married with 2 girls Years in practice: 26 Education: Master in Architecture, Columbia University Your first job: Luis Flores Architect in Puerto Rico Project you’re proudest of: Lifeworks, Austin Building you’d like to tear down: All Office Depots. What’s the best part of your job? Making people lives better. What would you change about your job? The way we get the jobs. What have you always wanted to tell your clients? Trust your architect, make a difference. What’s the next big architectural trend? Going away from trends. Advice to young architects: Listen, travel, patience. The one thing you wish they’d teach you in school: Psychology. Code/zoning requirement I’d change if given the chance: The...

Design Pittsburgh is a celebration of architecture and design, and honors those who create it. Design Pittsburgh raises the profile of architects as critical resources and industry experts in the Pittsburgh region. Through exhibits and events, this program provides excellent exposure of architects’ work to a wide variety of audiences – including potential customers. This year we had: 35% increase in Design Award Submissions 1,000+ people visit the exhibit during the gallery crawl and PechaKucha Night, held in the exhibit space 520 registered to attend the Design Awards Ceremony & Gala 3,647 votes for the People’s Choice Award 49,000+ unique page views to the Design Pittsburgh webpages and online exhibit throughout the promotional period Additionally, Design Pittsburgh highlights the importance...