Oct 10, 2022 _ news

GBBN Celebrates Big Night at Design Pittsburgh

GBBN had a lot to celebrate at American Institute of Architects (AIA) Pittsburgh’s recent design awards. Winning three awards total—two Certificates of Merit and one Honor Award—GBBN took home the most awards of the night.

The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, & Evaluation (CORE) at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania won an Honor Award, the highest recognition a project can win. A large, contemporary addition to the Federal House, one of the oldest brick buildings in the area, the jury praised the project for its “beautiful, clear concept and execution,” which “(showed) a dynamic combination of restraint and expression.” They went on to note, “the new addition and choice of materials succeed in revitalizing the immediate areas while maintaining an appropriate and respectful relationship with the existing Federal Style structure.”

The renovation of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians won a Certificate of Merit. The jury celebrated the project’s “clear exterior interventions, beautiful restoration, and thoughtful street relationship.” They also noted the effectiveness of its “selective use of color” and “the symmetry that comes from the exterior.”

Contemporary Craft also won a Certificate of Merit. Once a concrete box that served industrial purposes, the renovation transformed Contemporary Craft’s new home in Lawrenceville into a place for exhibition, education, and retail. “This is a great example of thoroughly reviving a blighted building with a few well-placed architectural moves and thoughtful interior choices,” the jury noted. “We particularly like the use of texture and tasteful palette that allows the art to shine.”

Congratulations to the design teams on this excellent work! And thank you to AIA Pittsburgh and the jury for making the evening possible!

Learn more about all the Design Pittsburgh’s award-winning projects here or at Next Pittsburgh.

You can also learn more about GBBN’s website to learn more about our Higher Education, Community Libraries, and Arts work.