BIG to reshape pittsburgh with masterplan for lower hill district

BIG to reshape pittsburgh with masterplan for lower hill district
all images courtesy of bjarke ingels group

bjarke ingels group (BIG), along with west 8 and atelier ten, has unveiled a 28 acre masterplan for pittsburgh that includes 1,200 residential units as well as over 1 million square feet of retail and commerce space. the design seeks to provide accessibility across pittsburgh’s unique topography, creating a vibrant open space for the city’s residents to enjoy.

the pittsburgh penguins and mccormack baron salazar hired BIG to design the residences and public spaces at the 28-acre lower hill district of pittsburgh earlier this year. building upon the city’s efforts from the past decade, the 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 proposal redevelops the public space around the former civic arena

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. terraced sloping roofs and a variety of building volumes take advantage of the steep topography and provides the neighborhood with views, daylight and generous terraces.

the 28 acre masterplan includes 1,200 residential units 

‘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,’ explains bjarke ingels. ‘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.’

‘BIG’s masterplan 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,’ adds kai-uwe bergmann, partner at BIG.

the new neighborhood is centered along a meandering public realm

the proposal combines individual buildings with a network of accessible paths and plazas

terraced sloping roofs take advantage of the steep topography

project model

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project info:

name: new lower hill masterplan
type: masterplan
client: MBS – mccormack baron salazar ; PAR – pittsburgh arena real estate redevelopment
size: 28 acres (ca. 1,200,000+ sqft residential ca. 1,250,000+ sqf office + retail +hotel)
location: pittsburgh, pennsylvania, USA
status: concept / commission
project start date: 2016
cost: $500+ million USD estimated development costs
collaborators: west 8 – landscape architecture, atelier ten – sustainability, massaro: contractor, graves design group: architecture, la quatra bonci associates: landscape architecture, mongalo-winston consulting: urban planning/public liason, michael baker international: civil, sota construction services: construction feasibility
program: residential, office, retail, hotel
partner-in-charge: kai-uwe bergmann, daniel sundlin, bjarke ingels
project leader: jelena vucic
project manager: simon david
project team: cheyenne vandevoorde, marcus kujala, nicolas gustin, ibrahim salman, terrence chew, peter lee, lasse kristensen, thomas christoffersen