Located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh campus is deeply interwoven into a dense urban scene, fragmented by high-traffic streets, the surrounding business district, and several neighboring universities.

While the nature of an urban campus can often result in a lack of community-centric spaces, the University of Pittsburgh campus boasts an eclectic architecture mix, including the late gothic revival of the Cathedral of Learning and the beaux-arts style of the William Pitt Union, with many of its other campus buildings falling within the Schenley Farms National Historic District.

Addressing a Problem
The impetus of the university's central campus redesign, which would ultimately span four and a half acres, was the need to attend to the failing roof deck of a below-grade parking garage. The university enlisted LaQuatra Bonci Associates (LBA) to rethink the circulation system of the parking lot above this roof deck. Formed by a cluster of five residence halls known as Schenley Quad, this auto-oriented courtyard was the cause of much pedestrian-vehicular conflict in the central campus.

Initially, eliminating parking in an urban setting was deemed too controversial, but a new direction for the campus emerged, allowing a complete reinvention of the space. LBA led the design process, envisioning the parking lot as a vibrant hub of outdoor student life that would turn what was once a lackluster space full of vehicles into a campus destination.

Getting Started
During the early design phases, it became evident that the successful implementation of this project would facilitate the unrestricted movement of thousands of students through Schenley Quad, only for them to arrive at another disjointed and auto-obstructed space at the front of the William Pitt Union. If they continued past the student union, they would face sixty feet of asphalt and distracted drivers while attempting to traverse a poorly located, unsafe, and undefined mid-block crossing to finally reach the Cathedral of Learning.

This called for an expanded perspective and a new way of thinking about the "in-between" spaces on campus - specifically extending this pedestrian network of outdoor spaces beyond Schenley Quad to the adjacent grounds at the William Pitt Union and the bordering Bigelow Boulevard streetscape.

Design Details
The ellipse is a distinctive element found throughout
the site. This shape, taking form in various site features,
brings a modern aesthetic that upholds the formality
and symmetry necessary to complement the historic character of the adjacent buildings.
Two elevated, ellipse-shaped lawn areas accommodate studying, socializing, impromptu music performances, and relaxing.

The main entrance of The William Pitt Union is characterized by a large ellipse of permeable pavers that accommodates a host of user preferences and functions while also serving as a central pedestrian node.

The simplicity of the ellipse is mimicked on a smaller scale in front of the Forbes Avenue entrance, sharing space with the Millennium Panther Statue and its surrounding gardens.

 

A suite of materials coordinates with the existing brick and limestone facades, approved by the Historic Review Commission. Materials throughout the job were also sourced to be compliant with LEED standards.

LBA carefully considered every design aspect to address pedestrian and vehicular circulation, safety, accessibility, flexible seating arrangements, and the capacity for events of varying sizes with the pretense that the future space would serve as a backdrop for the broad spectrum of student life.

Schenley Quad takes the shape of two quadrangular courtyards organized by a singular axis connecting the adjacent Forbes and Fifth Avenues.

In addition to everyday student use, the forecourt plaza accommodates a range of programmatic activities, including a weekly farmers' market, small performances, pickup basketball games, food trucks, and outdoor dining. Blended pavers and exposed aggregate concrete provide visual cues to differentiate between pedestrian walkways and programmatic spaces.

The Bigelow Boulevard entrance of the student union perpendicularly connects to the street at its mid-block crossing. The space provides a proper transition from the William Pitt Union grounds to Bigelow Boulevard and the Cathedral of Learning.

Bigelow Boulevard is a complete, multi-modal transportation corridor accommodating pedestrians, bicycles, mass transit, and vehicles. This streetscape and infrastructure project established the boulevard as Pittsburgh's first Complete Street and adhered to the standards outlined in the University's newly adopted sustainable development manual.

Challenges
The three distinct zones on campus that had to be unified: an interior auto-court at Schenley Quad, the sprawling grounds of the William Pitt Union, and the vehicular-dominant Bigelow Boulevard, are at different elevations. LBA reached a functional and visually attractive solution by introducing pedestrian ramps between the various levels.

Also of critical importance was creating a distinct identity for the campus within the city grid. By intensely studying the various architectural characteristics of each building, LBA developed a new, more contemporary campus vocabulary for paving, furnishings, lighting, and plantings. This vocabulary was subtle enough to respect the architectural character of the campus yet bold enough to establish a strong campus identity.

The new design also needed to provide flexible public spaces to accommodate emergency services, maintenance and service vehicles, and, most importantly, student life, while accommodating the 10,000 pedestrians that move throughout the site and contribute to the 25,000 pedestrian crossings of Bigelow Boulevard each day.

LBA developed flow diagrams of foot traffic and mapped hot spots of gathering spaces. The analysis led to the establishment of the ellipse, allowing the site to accommodate fluid circulation while creating edge seating and intimate gathering spaces that interact on the periphery of the main pedestrian flow zones.
The undertaking to build Pittsburgh's first multi-modal green street involved reducing travel lanes and locating a mid-block crossing to facilitate safe pedestrian passage between campus destinations. Achieving this outcome was perhaps the biggest challenge.

The university made a formal commitment to implement and maintain the city-owned Bigelow Boulevard.

LBA created a collaborative dialogue between the university, local residents, students, the university's Student Life representatives, ADA consultants, and the city's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to devise the most effective and convenient approach to solving issues that included public safety and
vehicle movement.

The Takeaway
Until this point, the idea of outdoor public space at the university was nothing more than an afterthought and a means of getting from point A to point B. Today, students regularly frequent these newly invented spaces to escape the monotony of dorm life or to rest between classes.

Pedestrians pass through central campus via the improved circulation routes and mid-block crossing, and cyclists safely navigate dedicated bike lanes. Vehicular traffic is effectively routed down the multi-modal street, minimizing the risk of pedestrian or cyclist conflict.

This transformational design creates a cohesive hub for the campus and establishes a dynamic identity for the University of Pittsburgh. With the ever-increasing desire and need for outdoor spaces, this project's success sets a standard for the university's future.

TEAM LIST
University of Pittsburgh: Central Campus Public Space Project -Client
Schenley Quad
WTW Architects - Architecture, Team Lead
LaQuatra Bonci Associates - Landscape Architect (all site design)
The Gateway Engineers - Civil Engineering
Tower Engineering - Electrical Engineering
Studio I - Lighting Design
Barber & Hoffman - Structural / MEP Engineering
WC3 - Irrigation Consultant
Mascaro Construction - Contractor
William Pitt Union & Bigelow Boulevard
LaQuatra Bonci Associates - Landscape Architect, Team Lead / Lead Designer
The Gateway Engineers - Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering
Tower Engineering - Electrical Engineering
WC3 - Irrigation Consultant
Mascaro Construction - Contractor