See the Award-Winning Buildings Created by Pittsburgh Architects and Designers – Pittsburgh Magazine

Report on the 2025 Design Pittsburgh Awards: Architectural Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals

The 42nd annual Design Pittsburgh awards, hosted by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture, recognized architectural projects that significantly contribute to creating safe, sustainable, and resilient urban environments. The winning designs demonstrate a strong alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of education, health, sustainable infrastructure, and community well-being.

Analysis of Major Award Recipients and SDG Impact

Silver Medal: Glasshouse by Hord Coplan Macht

The Glasshouse project, recipient of the highest honor, exemplifies a holistic approach to sustainable urban development.

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The project transformed a blighted brownfield into a vibrant, mixed-use community asset. By integrating public green space and connections to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, it enhances urban inclusivity and revitalizes underutilized land.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The provision of accessible green spaces and recreational trail connections promotes physical activity and mental well-being for residents and the public.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The development acts as a gateway, stimulating local economic vitality and creating a desirable urban core.

People’s Choice Award: New Trinity Intermediate School by DRAW Collective

This project highlights the critical role of architecture in advancing modern educational standards and student welfare.

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): The design provides a state-of-the-art learning environment with 30 classrooms optimized for natural light. Specialized facilities, including a media center with broadcast and STREAM rooms, support innovative and inclusive education.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The focus on natural light and scenic views creates a healthy and stimulating environment conducive to learning and development.

Project Awards by Category and SDG Contributions

Small Projects

• Liten Hytte by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (Honor Award): This design promotes SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through its economical use of a small footprint and a limited, resilient material palette suited for harsh climates.
• Squirrel Hill Mid-Century Modern Renovation by Wildman Chalmers Design (Honor Award): This renovation supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by emphasizing the indoor-outdoor connection, maximizing natural light, and creating spaces that encourage interaction with nature.
• Hillside Residence by Margittai Architects (Certificate of Merit): Integrates modern housing with a challenging urban landscape, contributing to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by demonstrating innovative solutions for dense, resilient urban living.
• Martini, Nashville International Airport by LGA Partners (Certificate of Merit): Showcases progress toward SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by delivering a complex commercial project within the constraints of critical transportation infrastructure.

Medium Projects

• Ronald McDonald House Charities Dayton by GBBN (Honor Award): Directly supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by creating a supportive and restorative haven for families with sick children.
• Allegheny Branch House Lofts by PWWG Architects (Honor Award): An exemplary case of adaptive reuse that advances SDG 11.4 (Protect cultural and natural heritage) by transforming a historic warehouse into modern apartments, promoting sustainable urban densification.
• City of Pittsburgh North Side Medic Station 4 by AE7 (Certificate of Merit): This facility is a benchmark for SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) as the first net-zero ready paramedic station in the U.S., enhancing community resilience.
• Richard King Mellon Foundation Headquarters by GBBN (Certificate of Merit): This LEED Gold certified workplace, an adaptive reuse of a historic building, aligns with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by creating a sustainable, high-quality work environment.
• Arnold Palmer Learning Center by R3A Architecture (Certificate of Merit): Furthers SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by creating an inclusive facility for youth development programs accessible to children from all backgrounds.
• Digital Foundry at New Kensington by R3A Architecture (Certificate of Merit): Contributes to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by providing a space to advance manufacturing technology and workforce skills.
• Victor A. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building by Stantec (Certificate of Merit): Addresses SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing a state-of-the-art facility for training the region’s healthcare workforce.
• State College Family Service Center by Strada Architecture (Certificate of Merit): Supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the adaptive reuse of a community building, creating a valuable space for education and social services.

Large Projects

• Christ the Teacher Academic Hall by MCF Architecture (Honor Award): This multi-disciplinary academic building fosters SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by creating a collaborative environment for engineering, business, and nursing students.
• Carnegie Mellon University, Highmark Center by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (Certificate of Merit): This project promotes SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by integrating health, wellness, and athletics services into a single, inviting, and inclusive facility for the entire campus community.
• Form Factory 1 by Stantec (Certificate of Merit): Advances SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by reconfiguring a former steel mill into a modern clean energy manufacturing facility.
• The Eatery at Litchfield Towers by PWWG Architects (Certificate of Merit): Enhances the student experience in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by creating a dynamic, versatile dining facility that fosters community and social interaction.
• Slippery Rock University Performing Arts Center by R3A Architecture (Certificate of Merit): This project supports SDG 11.4 (Protect cultural and natural heritage) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) through the adaptive reuse and expansion of historic campus buildings into an accessible and modern arts center.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article mentions several projects related to health and wellness infrastructure.
   • The “City of Pittsburgh North Side Medic Station 4” is a first-response facility crucial for community health.
   • The “Victor A. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building” is designed for training the healthcare workforce.
   • The “Carnegie Mellon University, Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics” is explicitly focused on promoting student health and well-being.
2. SDG 4: Quality Education: Several winning projects are educational facilities designed to provide modern and inclusive learning environments.
   • The “New Trinity Intermediate School” is described as a “state-of-the-art building” with specialized learning spaces and an outdoor learning patio.
   • The “Arnold Palmer Learning Center” is designed for youth development programs, emphasizing inclusivity for children from all backgrounds.
   • Other projects like the “Christ the Teacher Academic Hall” and the “Slippery Rock University Performing Arts Center” also represent significant upgrades to educational infrastructure.
3. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article highlights projects that focus on energy efficiency and clean energy, which are central to this goal.
   • The “City of Pittsburgh North Side Medic Station 4” is noted as the “first net-zero ready paramedic station in the U.S.”
   • The “Form Factory 1” project involved reconfiguring a former steel mill into a “state-of-the-art clean energy manufacturing facility.”
   • The “Richard King Mellon Foundation Headquarters” is a “LEED Gold certified workplace,” indicating high energy efficiency standards.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article discusses the modernization of infrastructure and industry through innovative architectural design.
   • The “Digital Foundry at New Kensington” is designed to “advance Industry 4.0” with maker spaces and a factory simulator.
   • The “Form Factory 1” project transforms an old industrial site into a modern “clean energy manufacturing facility,” representing a retrofit of industry towards sustainability.
5. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: This is the most prominent SDG in the article, with numerous projects focused on creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban environments.
   • The “Glasshouse” project transformed a “blighted brownfield” into a mixed-use development with “green space and trail connections,” enhancing public access and urban vitality.
   • The adaptive reuse of historic buildings, such as the “Allegheny Branch House Lofts” and the “Richard King Mellon Foundation Headquarters,” preserves cultural heritage while providing modern housing and workplaces.
   • The overall theme of the Design Pittsburgh awards is to honor architecture that creates “safe, sustainable… structures” that shape the urban environment.
6. SDG 15: Life on Land: This goal is addressed through the restoration of degraded urban land.
   • The “Glasshouse” project directly contributes by “restoring a blighted brownfield,” which is a form of land restoration that improves the urban ecosystem.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.a: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” This is directly addressed by the “New Trinity Intermediate School” project, with its focus on maximizing natural light and providing specialized learning support spaces, and the “Arnold Palmer Learning Center,” which was “driven by inclusivity, welcoming children of all backgrounds.”
2. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
   • Target 7.3: “By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.” The “net-zero ready” design of the North Side Medic Station and the “LEED Gold” certification of the Richard King Mellon Foundation Headquarters are direct efforts to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
3. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes…” The transformation of the former Weirton Steel Mill into the “Form Factory 1,” a “clean energy manufacturing facility,” is a clear example of retrofitting industry for sustainability.
4. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.3: “By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.” The “Glasshouse” project exemplifies this by transforming an asphalt lot into a “vibrant, mixed-use gateway that integrates public access, green space and trail connections.”
   • Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” This is demonstrated by projects involving adaptive reuse of historic buildings, such as the “Allegheny Branch House Lofts” (a 1905 warehouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and the transformation of the “historic Auction House” for the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
   • Target 11.7: “By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.” The “Glasshouse” project’s creation of “green space and trail connections” on a former industrial site directly aligns with this target.
5. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • Target 15.3: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.” The restoration of a “blighted brownfield” for the Glasshouse project is a direct contribution to this target by rehabilitating degraded urban land.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Certification and Standards:
   • The article explicitly mentions “LEED Gold certified workplace” for the Richard King Mellon Foundation Headquarters. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is a globally recognized indicator for measuring building sustainability and energy efficiency (relevant to Target 7.3).
   • The term “net-zero ready” for the North Side Medic Station is another key indicator, signifying that the building is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes, which directly measures progress towards energy efficiency and clean energy goals (Target 7.3).
2. Qualitative Descriptions of Transformation:
   • The description of the Glasshouse project as “restoring a blighted brownfield into an inclusive urban asset” serves as a qualitative indicator of land restoration and urban renewal (Targets 11.3, 11.7, 15.3).
   • The mention of projects involving “adaptive reuse” of buildings that were “underused” or “defunct,” such as the Allegheny Branch House Lofts and the State College Family Service Center, indicates progress in safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting sustainable urban development (Target 11.4).
3. Features of New Infrastructure:
   • For educational facilities, indicators of quality and inclusivity are mentioned, such as “30 classrooms created to maximize natural light,” “specialized learning support spaces,” and an “outdoor learning patio” at the New Trinity Intermediate School. These features can be used to measure the quality of learning environments (Target 4.a).
   • The creation of “green space and trail connections” in the Glasshouse project is a direct indicator of providing access to public and green spaces in an urban setting (Target 11.7).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pittsburghmagazine.com