Architecture is a living, breathing art form we encounter all around us every day. Pittsburgh has a rich history of buildings, which, if you know where to look, can help you form a deeper relationship to the city around you. Modern buildings, in particular, are one of the city’s greatest architectural assets. But what is a modern building, anyway?
What Makes a Modern Building?
“Modern architecture and landscape architecture has many variations depending on factors such as the design team and client, purpose and community context, regional styles, and climate and location,” Brittany Reilly of the Pittsburgh Modern Committee said. But she outlined the following as what makes a building “modern” in an architectural sense. Reilly’s criteria for a modern building is:
- Completed during the 1950s-1970s.
- A significant visual deviation from familiar traditional styles.
- Uses modern materials or technologies
- Truth in material (Aluminum should appear as itself, concrete as concrete and so on.
- Purpose, efficiency and straightforward materials inform the design, with no need for additional or unnecessary ornamentation.
- Still pushes architectural boundaries in some way
So, with that in mind, Reilly pointed us towards some of the city of Pittsburgh’s most interesting modern buildings. Next time, you’re walking around, keep an eye out for the architectural
7 Pittsburgh Modern Buildings Worth Looking Up For
U.S. Steel Tower
Architect: Harrison, Abramovitz & Abbe (New York)
For: United States Steel as their World Headquarters
Year: 1971
Materials: COR-TEN Steel, Glass
Address: 600 Grant Street
Height: 64-stories
This building is one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic landmarks. Pittsburghers see it from many angles of the city—you can see through the trees driving up the parkway from the airport, poking up to mark the skyline under the north side, or rising up out of the river from the South Side Flats. Though it’s now UPMC offices, its original purpose was the headquarters of US Steel. It stands as a reminder of Pittsburgh’s past, a marker of the present, and maybe a beacon towards the future. Reilly noted that the material, COR-TEN steel, “came to be coveted by artists and architects alike” as US Steel “showcased an innovative architectural application of its product.”
United Steelworkers Building
Also known as: Five Gateway Center / Previously: IBM Building
Architect: Curtis and Davis (New Orleans)
For: IBM
Year: 1963
Material: Various types of steel, concrete and glass
Address: 60 Boulevard of the Allies
Height: 13-stories
Just a stone’s throw from the U.S. Steel building is the United Steelworkers headquarters. Though it previously held IBM headquarters, it’s become an important base for one of the country’s most powerful unions and a landmark to Pittsburgh’s place in labor history. On an engineering level, Reilly said that “Recognized as an engineering marvel this design frees the interior from all supports save for the core, and the resulting layout fulfilled IBM’s desire for flexible open-plan office space.” Next time you’re walking to Point State Park, pause and take a look at the unique diamond-pattern truss framework.
Regional Enterprise Tower, Previously: Alcoa Headquarters
Architect: Harrison & Abramovitz (New York)
For: Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) as their headquarters
Year: 1953
Material: Aluminum cladding
Address: 425 Sixth Avenue
Height: 31-stories
This striking silver building was once home to Alcoa (Aluminum Corporation of America). Though much of the original aluminum structure has been replaced, the lobby is mostly intact. “The building once featured countless innovative aluminum elements, from the facade detail to the utilities and mechanics to custom furniture throughout,” Reilly recalled. But she urged city-goers to peer into the lobby not just for the beautiful interior, but for the sculpture by renowned artist Mary Callery in the Sixth Avenue Entrance.
National Aviary-Conservatory / Previously West Park Aviary-Conservatory
Architect: Lawrence & Anthony Wolfe (Pittsburgh)
For: The West Park Aviary-Conservatory
Year: 1952
Material: Steel, glass
Address: 700 Arch Street
Step away from downtown for a bit and head to the North Side. In the ‘50s, the city decided to put an aviary on the site of the North Side Conservatory, and eventually the site became a private business in 1991. Notably, the minds behind the modernist structure are Pittsburgh architects that happen to be brothers: Lawrence and Anthony Wolfe. The building has grown and expanded since its original form, but, Reilly said, “[the modernist architecture] remains a delightful feature of the original design.”
Smithfield Liberty Garage
Architect: Altenhof & Bown (Pittsburgh)
Year: 1965
Material: Poured Concrete
Address: 629 Smithfield Street
Height: 39-stories
Reilly called this the Pittsburgh Modern Committee’s “favorite sculptural concrete spiral.” You have to admit, this is no ordinary parking garage. (The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust recently held an ambient music concert there, fitting for a space that feels so industrial-chic and ominous). Architects Altenhof & Bown had other projects across the city and also consuled on the design of the Alcoa headquarters.
WQED Building / Previously WQED Studios
Architect: Paul Schweikher (Chicago)
Year: 1969-70
Materials: Concrete
Address: 4802 Fifth Avenue
Paul Schweikher was head of the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture from 1958 to his retirement. What makes this building most special and memorable is that it was the studio set for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Hill House Association / Also known as Hill House Center
Architect: Walter L. Roberts (Pittsburgh)
Year: 1971
Location: 1835 Centre Avenue
The Pittsburgh Modern Committee’s colleague Martin Aurand of Carnegie Mello University broke some of the most significant research into a Walter L. Roberts’ work. Roberts, a Black architect who established his own firm in 1948, is the mind behind Hill House Center in the Hill District.
Story by Emma Riva and Brittany Reilly
Photo Courtesy of Parker Sturdivant
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