Project Details
- Project Name
- New Lower Hill Master Plan
- Architect
- Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
- Client/Owner
- McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) and Pittsburgh Arena Real Estate Redevelopment (PAR)
- Project Types
-
Planning ,Cultural ,Commercial
- Project Scope
- New Construction
- Size
- 2,450,000 sq. feet
- Shared by
- hanley wood, llc
- Team
-
Kai-Uwe Bergmann, Partner-in-charge
Daniel Sundlin, Partner-in-charge
Bjarke Ingels, Partner-in-charge
Jelena Vucic, Project leader
Simon David, Project manager
Cheyenne Vandevoorde, Project team
Marcus Kujala, Project team
Nicolas Gustin, Project team
Ibrahim Salman, Project team
Terrence Chew, Project team
Peter Lee, Project team
Lasse Kristensen, Project team
Thomas Christoffersen, Project team
- 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
- Project Status
- On the Boards/In Progress
- Cost
- $500,000,000
Project Description
FROM THE ARCHITECTS (11.18.2015)
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.
“The masterplan for the Lower Hill District is created by supplementing the
existing street grid with a new network of parks and paths shaped to optimize
the sloping hill side for human accessibility for all generations. The paths
are turned and twisted to always find a gentle sloping path leading pedestrians
and bicyclists comfortably up and down the hillside. The resulting urban fabric
combines a green network of effortless circulation with a quirky character
reminiscent of a historical downtown. Topography and accessibility merging to
create a unique new part of Pittsburgh. “—Bjarke Ingels, Founding
Partner, BIG.
"BIG's master plan seeks to become a catalyst for
future investment into the Hill District, moving beyond the standard
sustainability solutions and reversing a tendency to vacate, and instead to refocus and reinvest into building a strong community."—Kai-Uwe
Bergmann, Partner, BIG.
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.
Bill Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh,
previously said: “This announcement is not just about developing.
It’s about how adding on to what we have, which is already incredibly special,
and building something for the next 50 years. By bringing BIG in, we’re taking
that next big step on these 28 acres, and we’re looking at a way of not just
building buildings there.”
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 site, with its slopes and views, is perfectly suited
for bringing an experience of the native landscape to this urban
condition. The design creates a new open space identity but more importantly gives neighbors and visitors the sensations of nature
in the heart of the city."—Jamie Maslyn, Partner, West 8.
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.