studio 2

A Museum of ____
“Museum of Unearthing”

fall ‘23

Located at the intersection of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Susquehanna Rivers. Pittsburgh’s location and history were a catalyst of the rapid expansion and industrialization of steel, glass, and coal. Calling for skilled workers to mass-produce these materials within the city from the late-19th to mid-20th centuries.

Aerial View of the site

Process

The site sits in the strip district in Pittsburgh, PA, more specifically, sits between the 31st Street Bridge and Railroad St. Currently sitting on the site is Pittsburgh Public Works, a sanitation facility. Working with a Pittsburgh company Riverlife and tasked to rework their proposal of what will sit on the site. The theme of the project was “Museum of ___” and the museum will consist of commercial development, outdoor recreation facilities, pedestrian access from the bridge, a public park, and a dock.

Riverlife’s proposal for the site

Diagrams

Tasked to craft a narrative for our site and sticking to that narrative, I chose the word meandering to base my design. Taking inspiration of Pittsburgh’s infrastructure, focusing on the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Capturing the experience of exiting the tunnel and experiencing the release of the exit and being in awe of the sight of downtown Pittsburgh’s skyline. Replicating that experience of the exit on my site. The word meandering, allowed the museum visitors to have their own autonomy walking around my site. Therefore, layering allows for more exploration, rather than having all buildings on one plane. Different buildings and the arrangement on my site is meant to replicate the exit of the Pitt Tunnel.

Brick plays a central role in shaping the materiality of my building, driven by its "urge" to form an arch. This diagram emphasizes the humanization of the brick-making process. Highlighting the importance between it crafted origin and its aspirations. Focusing on the transformation from raw material to a structural and expressive element, the diagram celebrates the process as a product of human invention and architectural ambition.