BIG . West 8 . Atelier Ten . + architect
BIG + West 8 + Atelier Ten’s vision for a new master plan in Pittsburgh covers 28 acres, including 1,200 units of housing as well as 1+million sq ft of retail and commerce providing accessibility across Pittsburgh’s unique topography and creating a vibrant new open space for the city’s residents to enjoy.
The Penguins and McCormack Baron Salazar hired BIG to design the residences and public spaces at the 28-acre Lower Hill District of Pittsburgh. Building upon the city’s efforts from the past decade, BIG’s proposal redevelops the public space around the former Civic Arena, including a public space across from Consol Energy Center, and connects the property to Downtown, Uptown and the rest of the Hill District.
BIG envisions a multifunctional and revitalized neighborhood that is centered along a meandering public realm that serves to connect the Hill District back to its downtown core. The proposal combines individual buildings with a variety of functions bounded by a network of accessible paths and triangular plazas. The terraced sloping roofs and varying building volumes take advantage of the steep slope that is so unique to Pittsburgh and provides the neighborhood its distinct qualities of incredible views, daylight and generous terraces.
The public realm designed by West 8, is punctuated by granite outcroppings that are inspired by the regions Allegheny landscape and follows a daylit storm system that encourages discovery and play. The street pattern and crosswalks are designed for an active public life and an efficient flow of pedestrians, bikes, public transportation and cars that are all possible through the weaving pattern of pedestrian pathways.
The terraced roofscapes in the residential areas ensure that residents can access outdoor areas to enjoy the views and to also encourage a sense of community among its neighbors. Atelier Ten has developed a set of comprehensive sustainable goals that consider district scaled heating and cooling opportunities, retaining all rainwater on the site and utilizing it for irrigation of the public space.
CLIENT/OWNER
McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) and Pittsburgh Arena Real Estate Redevelopment (PAR)
TEAM
Kai-Uwe Bergmann
Daniel Sundlin
Bjarke Ingels
Jelena Vucic
Simon David
Cheyenne Vandevoorde
Marcus Kujala
Nicolas Gustin
Ibrahim Salman
Terrence Chew
Peter Lee
Lasse Kristensen
Thomas Christoffersen
CONSULTANTS
Landscape Architect: West 8
Other: Atelier Ten
General Contractor: Massaro
Other: Graves Design Group
Landscape Architect: La Quatra Bonci Associates
Other: Mongalo-Winston Consulting
Civil Engineer: Michael Baker International
Construction Manager: , Sota Construction Services
