© Brad Feinknopf
© Brad Feinknopf
© Brad Feinknopf
© Dennis Marsico
© Brad Feinknopf
© Brad Feinknopf
© Brad Feinknopf
© Dennis Marsico

David L. Lawrence Convention Center

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Location
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Year
2003

The suspension roof of this 1.45 million-square-foot convention center integrates into a single sweeping gesture the contextual, environmental, structural, and programmatic requirements of the project. Its iconic design takes inspiration from the historic suspension bridges that span the Allegheny River adjacent to the riverfront site and provides the latest chapter in Pittsburgh’s long history of engineering and technological innovations. This unique steel cable structure made possible a naturally-lit and column-free, 250,000-square-foot exhibition hall.

Extending downtown Pittsburgh’s civic realm above and through the building, the new center provides both a public roof terrace with panoramic views of downtown and the Allegheny River as well as a ground level pedestrian connection under the building and through a 500-foot water feature that leads to the riverfront park.

This competition-won design was executed largely from a site office in Pittsburgh, which in collaboration with the owner, consultant engineers, non-profit environmental agencies provided an extensive team effort to maximize integration of viable sustainable features into the design of the facility, including natural day-lighting, low-temperature air distribution, natural ventilation, and gray water reclamation. The first and largest certified sustainable convention center in the world, the center is also the only meeting venue to be awarded the Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. 

Other Projects by Rafael Viñoly Architects

Carrasco International Airport
Montevideo, Uruguay, Uruguay
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Philadelphia
Tokyo International Forum
Tokyo, Japan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus
Ashburn