RECENT NEWS
May 28, 2013
August Wilson Double Feature:
National Register + Preservation Grant
The childhood home of playwright August Wilson was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May by the National Park Service. Pfaffmann + Associates was hired by Preservation Pittsburgh to prepare the nomination through a Keystone Historic Preservation Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC).
From his birth in 1945 until almost age thirteen, Wilson and his siblings were reared by his mother, Daisy Wilson, in a small apartment behind Bella's Market at 1727 Bedford Avenue. The house would become central to Wilson's writing and the direct source of inspiration for his ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle, a decade-by-decade anthology of African American life in Pittsburgh during the twentieth century.
In related news, PHMC announced this month that the Daisy Wilson Artist Community, Inc., the nonprofit steward of the house, has been awarded a $23,000 Keystone Grant to restore the masonry exterior of the building. P+A created the preservation plan and will manage the project.
Read the National Register nomination here.
May 1, 2013
P+A Developer Experience Highlighted
Did you know that Pfaffmann + Associates has designed almost a million square feet of major office projects in the Pittsburgh area? And that we have considerable experience renewing brownfield sites and designing innovative residential developments?
Our new Developer Qualifications booklet highlights successful planning and construction of developer-led projects over the past fifteen years. Let us know if you would like a high-resolution PDF or a printed copy.
April 1, 2013
P+A Library Experience Illustrated in New Booklet
Over the past fifteen years, Pfaffmann + Associates has completed dozens of successful library projects for institutions of all sizes, from the region's largest centers of learning like the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and the Heinz History Center to all-volunteer neighborhood nonprofits like the Millvale Community Library.
Our new Library Qualifications booklet highlights the ways we have helped clients arrive at memorable solutions that are intuitively useable, anticipate changing demands and provide lasting and affordable performance. Let us know if you would like a high-resolution PDF or a printed copy.
October 11, 2012
Gateway Station Earns Highest Honor
The Light/Motion Collaborative, a joint venture of Pfaffmann + Associates and Edge Studio, has received AIA Pittsburgh's 2012 Silver Award for Design Excellence for the new Gateway light rail station Downtown. Not awarded since 2008, the Silver Award is the highest honor conferred by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This is the third time since 2001 that Pfaffmann + Associates has earned this recognition.
A jury of Detroit architects called the station "a wonderful piece of civic architecture and a recognition of how integrated and important public transit is to the identity of a city. . . .The choice of materials celebrates the steel and glass heritage of the city and the expression of the materials celebrates the technology and innovation that make Pittsburgh Pittsburgh. Great job of exploding the box."
Oakland 2025 Master Plan Honored
The Oakland 2025 Master Plan: A Vision for Sustainable Living and Mobility has earned a Regional and Urban Design Honor Award from the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The vision for the future of Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood was developed for the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation. The consultant team, led by Pfaffmann + Associates, completed the plan after an extensive year-long community process that featured hands-on "walkshops," or walking workshops, and a week-long "pop-up" storefront that allowed stakeholders to drop in, interact and add to the plan as it was being developed. The master plan identifies key urban design development opportunities, and improvements in housing, transportation, open space and business district development. The plan's focus centers on the idea that transformations in the realm of housing and transportation are key catalysts for creating overall neighborhood change.
Jurors commented that the plan "is a bold and innovative vision to transform a rapidly growing community by focusing on its transportation and housing initiatives. The jury applauds the extent of the public process and the care the architect used in considering the communities' needs."
September 29, 2012
August Wilson: His House History & Yours
Saturday, September, 29 from 10am to 1pm
Join P+A's Jeff Slack for a special program highlighting efforts to revitalize the childhood home of Playwright August Wilson and how to apply the same house history techniques to researching your own home.
Events include:
An update on the process to nominate the house to the National Register
Top 10 resources for researching your own house history, and
A special presentation by historian Larry Glasco on "The Wilson's Neighbors, the Wilson's Neighborhood."
Read about where to meet and more info here.
August 31, 2012
South Highland Avenue Bridge
P+A has completed the design of architectural enhancements, lighting and interpretive elements for a new South Highland Avenue Bridge. Scheduled to start construction in early 2013, the new bridge will include two panels that illustrate the history of the bridge and the Pennsylvania Main Line that it crosses.
Working within the constraints of the design process for modern infrastructure projects, P+A carefully used limited budgets for maximum architectural return.
Read more about this contemporary link with the past here.
August 31, 2012
Cafe at the Point: Beyond Fast Food
Celebrating the start of its second year, the Cafe at the Point in Pittsburgh's historic Point State Park was born from the idea that a conventional food stand could be much more - and tell visitors the significance of Fort Pitt located at their feet! While the park was well served with fast food during occasional events, it lacked a permanent food vendor with facilities to offer more creative, well-rounded dining options. Renovations to the park brought a sufficient increase in foot traffic from lunchtime walkers and commuters crossing through the park to support a small cafe on a seasonal basis.
The result is an eco-friendly structure that is more interpretive element than building. An etched stainless steel facade and glass canopy illustrate 250 years of history on the site. A living roof and walls enclose a super-efficient compact kitchen, storage and ADA toilet. Other green features include recycled steel and masonry, skylights, high-efficiency external LED light fixtures, and a storm water retention system. A LEED-NC Silver rating is anticipated.
Read more about this unique cafe here.
February 13, 2012
Preservation: A Sustainable Strategy
Rob Pfaffmann spoke today at "Building Sustainable Neighborhoods: Powering Sustainable Development in Allegheny County," a day-long forum at Phipps Conservatory sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh School of Law Innovation Practice Institute and Pittsburgh Journal of Environmental and Public Health Law. Rob's presentation, "Preserving Historical Roots in the Face of Innovation," highlighted the benefits that preservation planning offers as an integral component of green design. The forum was a collaborative venue for legislators, innovators, and industry experts to further develop Allegheny County's potential to be a leader in sustainable growth and energy development.
January 12, 2012
Pfaffmann Speaks at Harvard on Design Leadership
Rob Pfaffmann recently spoke at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design as part of the seminar "Design Leadership: Leading Change by Design." The program, moderated by Loeb Fellow Anne Marie Lubenau (former director of the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh), explored the role of design professionals in society and their ability to influence broader change in our communities. Using examples from Pittsburgh, Rob illustrated cultural, economic, environmental and political connections to the built environment and shared successful problem-solving strategies for engaging the public in the design process.
October 21, 2011
Igloo Advocacy at National Preservation Conference
Rob Pfaffmann recently combined his passions for mid-century architecture and creative community planning at the 2011 National Trust conference in Buffalo. Rob served as organizer and panelist for the session "Portland to Pittsburgh: Arenas of Modernism," which explored opportunities for repurposing historic sports complexes in communities across the country. Parallel case studies of Portland's Memorial Coliseum and Pittsburgh's Civic Arena highlighted reuse challenges, contrasted community engagement processes, and compared political traditions and models of success. The forum was moderated by Matthew Jordan Hayes, graduate student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Additional panelists included Christine Madrid French, Director of the TrustModern Program at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Peter Meijer, Principal at Peter Meijer Architect in Portland.
September 30, 2011
Rob Pfaffmann Honored with Grassroots Advocacy Award
Rob Pfaffmann received Preservation Pennsylvania's Grassroots Advocacy Award in Gettysburg on September 30. Rob was recognized for his leadership role in trying to save the Civic Arena from demolition. "Preservation battles are not fought by national or state organizations," stated Mindy Crawford, Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania. "They are waged by individuals with tremendous passion who keep fighting no matter what obstacles arise. Individuals like Rob Pfaffmann. Rob's efforts are the true success story here. Without his grassroots organizing skills and energy, this building would not have had a chance for reuse."
August 18, 2011
New Academic Center in Maine
Pfaffmann + Associates is bringing its extensive library and academic design experience to Thomas College in Waterville, Maine as a consultant to Connor Architecture. The Alfond Academic Center will be a 35,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art library commons and resource center. The new building, part of an ambitious master plan that will double the size of the campus, will also host technology services, classrooms, faculty offices, collaborative spaces and a cafe. Thomas College, founded in 1894, awards undergraduate and graduate degrees with an emphasis in business, technology and education.
October 23, 2010
Make Plans for "Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City"
Join Rob Pfaffmann for a free screening of the film "Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City" at the Carnegie Museum of Art on Saturday, October 23, from 3 to 5pm. Rob will provide a brief personal introduction to his great- great- grandfather’s work in Pittsburgh. If you missed the premiere last month on PBS, this is your chance to see producer Judith Paine McBrien's documentary on one of America's most important architects. McBrien shows, a century later, that Burnham is not only relevant but inspirational for everyone involved in making our cites more livable places.
June 24, 2010
P+A Hosts Budding Green Designers
P+A recently opened its studios to eight high school students from the Braddock Youth Project, a summer employment program run by the county's AmeriCorps unit. The students are learning about green design and development by working on projects ranging from green roof installation, to living wall creation, to lighting design. Their tour of P+A was designed to give them a feel for the dynamism of an architecture studio, and the role of the architect in green design.
Post-Gazette article about the Braddock Youth Project's green initiatives
June 8, 2010
P+A Honored for Outstanding Community Outreach
P+A was recognized by the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh with a Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Community Outreach for our work on the Central Northside Community Plan. The honor was presented at CDCP’s annual Consultant Appreciation Event on June 8. This event celebrates the dedication and efforts of the Design Center’s RenPlan® volunteer consultants and firms.
May 20, 2010
Jeff Slack Completes Cultural Resources Program
Jeff Slack recently completed the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Cultural Resources Essentials program. The four-part series was designed to bring the Bureau for Historic Preservation’s partners together in an effort to collaborate, learn from each other, and discover ways that federal, state, and local programs can intersect to help Pennsylvania’s communities preserve their historic character.
December 16, 2009
Three Staff Earn AICP Certification
Three P+A staff (Rob Pfaffmann, Carl Bergamini and Jeff Slack) recently earned AICP certification. AICP is the American Planning Association's professional institute, providing recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice.
December 1, 2009
Cover Story
P+A's work on the Meadowcroft Rockshelter graces the cover of the Fall 2009 issue of Wood Design and Building magazine. Writes the magazine: “Through its innovative design and sensitive construction, the 2,500-sq.ft. interpretive archeological enclosure, completed in December 2007, protects and interprets one of the most important sites excavated in the United States.”
October 30, 2009
Pfaffmann Accepts Great Great Honor
on Behalf of Great Great Grandfather
Rob Pfaffmann was recently honored to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects on behalf of his great great grandfather, Daniel Burnham. The award, given at the AIA chapter’s annual awards ceremony, was timed to coincide with the centennial of Burnham’s work with Edward Bennett on their ground-breaking 1909 Plan of Chicago. Their plan, which helped create the city’s nearly uninterrupted chain of lakefront parks, is recognized as the first comprehensive planning document for guiding the growth of an American city.
October 22, 2009
P+A Earns Two New AIA Honors
Two Pfaffmann + Associates projects, one built and one proposed, were recently recognized with AIA Pittsburgh awards. The firm earned an Award of Excellence in Open Plan for its proposal for “A Civic Renewal” of Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, plus a Certificate of Merit for Design Excellence for the new Hill District Branch of the Carnegie Library.
February 27, 2009
Ancient Shelter Wins for Best New Construction
Meadowcroft Rockshelter is perhaps the oldest site of continuous habitation in North America. And at last — thanks to a new site-sensitive enclosure created by P+A — this ancient shelter has won an award for new construction: the 2008 Master Builders' Association of Western Pennsylvania's "Building Excellence Award" for Best New Construction under $10 Million.
November 21, 2008
P+A's Green Design Earns Gold: LEED Gold Certification for Carnegie Mellon Cafe
In the course of renovating CMU's former Highlander cafeteria, P+A added a healthy serving of "green" to the menu. First-floor sensors regulate the levels of artificial lighting by measuring the amount of daylight entering the room. The lights dim when there's plenty of natural light and become brighter as night falls. New carbon dioxide sensors sense the number of occupants and provide more fresh air as necessary. The result: Not only an appetizing design, but one of the first college dining halls to earn LEED Gold.
November 1, 2008
New Roof for 16,000-Year-Old Home earns Silver at AIA Awards
For the first time since 2005, jurors presented a Silver Medal at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Awards in Pittsburgh. Pfaffmann + Associates earned this honor for their roof enclosure for Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Avella, PA, a world heritage archaeological site containing the earliest evidence of habitation in North America. The jurors, all Seattle-based architects, said that the structure "builds a sense of reverence for the site through the architecture" and "skillfully re-creates the sense of a cave without being too literal...it is not a 'Disney' experience."
October 24, 2008
Let's Give Them Something to Pecha Kucha About
Pecha kucha. No it's not a new dance craze. It's Japanese for “chitchat” and it builds on the premise that if you give creative people a platform to share their ideas, your own ideas will quickly start flowing. 16 architects, painters, photographers, conceptual artists and sculptors took part — including our own Rob Pfaffmann. Rob presented his ideas for the creative re-use of the Civic Arena.
September 20, 2008
Way down in DOCOMOMO: Pfaffmann Speaks at DOCOMOMO Conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Tearing down the past doesn't have to be our city's MO. That was Rob Pfaffmann's topic at the DOCOMOMO (DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement) conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Rob argued against the idea that Modern-era planning and design interventions are obsolete: Why not reuse the Pittsburgh Civic Arena as an anchor for a new urban plan, he challenged.