PROJECT  Glasshouse

ARCHITECT  Hord Coplan Macht

LOCATION  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  6/18/2020

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Chris Harvey, Monica Robertson, Nan Yu, Annika Plevich, James Black, Wei-Chung Chang
OWNER/CLIENT  James Murray-Coleman
CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  Mike Figgins
PHOTOGRAPHER  Max Kun Zhang | IRIS22 PRODUCTIONS LLC
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Hord Coplan Macht
CIVIL ENGINEER Paul Ceriani - Langan
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER  Jason Dreher
MECHANICAL ENGINEER  Rob Herlihy- Tower Engineering, Inc.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER  Steffanie Bako Tower Engineering, Inc.
CONSULTANT  Interior Designer- Rebecca Jones, RD JONES rjones@rdjones.com 400 E. Pratt Street, Suite 902 Baltimore, Maryland 21202
CONSULTANT  Lighting Consultant- Hal Hilbish, Hilbish McGee Lighting Design hal@hmld.biz 401 Peebles Street Sewickley, PA 15143
CONSULTANT  Accessibility Consultant- Jeff Heitert, Steven Winter Associates, Inc. jheitert@swinter.com 55 N. Water Street, Suite 1 Norwalk, CT 06854
CONSULTANT  AV/IT Consultant- David Vargo, Bright Tree Studios dvargo@brighttreestudios.com 301 Brush Creek Rd Warrendale, PA 15086
CONSULTANT  Sustainability Consultant- Andrea Foss, Steven Winter Associates, Inc. afoss@swinter.com 1825 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600 Washington DC, 2009
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SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT  
Glasshouse is a mixed-use development located on the Monongahela Riverfront in the Station Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Designed to transform a brownfield site, the project weaves together sustainability, wellness, community connection and resilient urban living. The building includes 317 residential units, street level retail, a community focused park and a public walkway that bisects the site connecting the neighborhood to the Riverfront Heritage Trail.
The project is geographically defined by the 1000’ wide river to the north, the 400’ high Mt. Washington to the south and is framed by the Fort Pittsburgh and historic Smithfield Street Bridge to the west and east affording spectacular views to the city.
Glasshouse shares a rich history with the city of Pittsburgh and the neighborhoods that surround it. The project name pays tribute to the local history of glassmaking and craftsmanship that was present on the site in years past.
Working closely with City Planning and River Life, an influential taskforce that oversees riverfront development, Glasshouse is an organic development that embraces the activity of the riverfront trail. A concrete parking podium is embedded into the topography, lifting the project out of a floodplain. A series of courtyards breaks the residential massing, opening to the city skyline and engaging the riverfront. To further embrace the neighborhood, a community park was created between the project and the Smithfield Street Bridge. Retail space with an outdoor terrace is flanked by the resident bike room and dog wash to promote connectivity. A free bike share station is located within the park to welcome community and residents. An existing artifact of Pittsburgh's industrial past anchors the park at the trailhead, becoming an iconic gathering point for the activity of the trail.
The overall composition of the building massing defines the new park and the projects rich courtyards. The centerpiece of the project is a distinctive two-story glass enclosed resident amenity space. An expressive ‘V’ shaped structure supports a steel box of premier residential units above. The amenity area boasts entertainment, private dining, conference rooms, game room, soft seating and covered outdoor spaces overlooking beautifully landscaped courtyards. The residents have access to a swimming pool, communal lawn, bocce court, lounge seating with fire pits, outdoor kitchen and dining areas all with expansive views of the river and city beyond.
For residents, each building bar terminates with a glass enclosed stair. This vertical circulation connects all residents to the building amenities, courtyards, parking level, and riverfront trail. This feature promotes resident connectivity and wellness by daylighting the corridors and offering an active way to circulate through the building.
With flexible interior and exterior spaces, thoughtful community connections, strong historical references and a meaningful engagement to the riverfront trail, Glasshouse has become a model for waterfront development in the City of Pittsburgh.

JURY COMMENTS (If applicable)

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. The plaza at the trailhead features an existing artifact and repurposes it to honor the local industrial past and anchor the community gathering space. Photographer: Max Kun Zhang | IRIS22 PRODUCTIONS LLC
2. A series of landscaped courtyards break up the building’s massing, creating inviting outdoor spaces with sweeping river views & the downtown Pittsburgh skyline. Amenities including a swimming pool, bocce court, multi-purpose lawn areas, fire pits, and an outdoor kitchen foster relaxation, recreation, and a strong sense of community for residents. Photographer: Chris Lange Hord Coplan Macht
3. Local artists were engaged to supply interior art pieces, helping to build community identity and supporting the regional creative economy. Photographer: Ray Cavicchio Photography
4. To address its location within the 100-year floodplain, the building is elevated on a concrete parking podium that lifts residential spaces and amenities safely above the flood line. This resilient design strategy not only protects the structure from potential flooding but also integrates seamlessly into the site’s topography, allowing for active ground-level uses and public connectivity. Photographer: Chris Lange Hord Coplan Macht
5. Once a brownfield and asphalt surface lot, the riverfront site was transformed into a vibrant, green mixed-use community. Through environmental remediation, native landscaping, and the creation of public parks and trails, the project reclaims the land as a healthy, accessible space that reconnects South Shore Pittsburgh to its waterfront. Photographer: Chris Lange Hord Coplan Macht
6. A central theme of the design is integration- engaging with the surrounding communities with public amenities, nature (river & hiker-biker trail), and the local economy (retail). The building’s massing and orientation prioritize resident views while creating human-scaled spaces that invite the public through and around the site. Photographer: Max Kun Zhang | IRIS22 PRODUCTIONS LLC
7. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail runs directly alongside Glasshouse. Egress stairs of each building were day lit and strategically located to have direct access to the Trail. With over 300 residential units, ground-level retail, and modern amenities, the building’s contemporary design promotes wellness and community engagement, while its stepped-back form and large windows frame views of the river and city skyline. Photographer: Max Kun Zhang | IRIS22 PRODUCTIONS LLC
8. V-shaped concrete columns lift the volume over the interior amenity spaces and support the building above, echoing the structural form of the nearby bridges and tying the contemporary design to Pittsburgh’s historic industrial architecture. Photographer: Max Kun Zhang | IRIS22 PRODUCTIONS LLC