Our time in Pittsburgh was a great way to get a feel for the site and the city. In exploring the areas surrounding the site, we found two contrasting elements: 1) across the river from the site is a new big-box mall development on the sites of old steel mills and 2) behind the site is a poor, somewhat run-down neighborhood of dense townhouses. I think it is essential that this context be taken into consideration during our design, primarily in considering the use of the building by the community for non-commercial and non-consumption based activities.
One thing I found interesting is that we will be incorporating visitors coming by car, boat, foot, and possibly by rail (a current conceptual proposal includes a monorail). This means that the building will be accessed from all sides. Also, the site is visible from almost every angle, making the site a prime spot for the landmark-building we will attempt.
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