David L Lawrence Convention Center
Pittsburgh
Rafael Viñoly Architects

Rafael Viñoly Architects’ bridgelike structure on the waterfront reaps accolades for energy efficiency and engineering ingenuity

© Brad Feinknopf

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

In 1998, the Sports and Exhibition Authority announced a competition for an addition to an undersize convention center on the south shore of the Allegheny River. The program, conceived by local officials, required firms to incorporate sustainability strategies into their schemes. A nine-member jury winnowed through hundreds of entries to pick four finalists, and in February 1999, the jury announced the unanimous selection of Rafael Viñoly Architects over Arquitectonica, Cesar Pelli & Associates, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. An aura of high-stakes drama surrounded the contest, with local newspapers devoting many column-inches to its progression, all capped off by a television special that chronicled the evolution of each finalist’s design.

Clad mostly in heat-reflecting white aluminum, the new center stands out brightly against the dense concrete-and-brick palette of downtown. Its north elevation faces the river, and from the opposite shore it resembles nothing so much as a cruise ship ready to set sail for exotic waters. But seen up close, the structure reveals itself as what Viñoly calls "half a bridge"—a nod to the city’s engineering heritage. The north side is cantilevered like a deck over the roadway below. Fifteen enormous cables, strung over tall masts, support the sloping roof. The cables terminate in exposed anchors inside and on the roof, where passersby inspect them like rare sculptures.

To the usual programmatic mix, Viñoly has introduced extensive glazing, river views, and outdoor terraces, bringing daylight and fresh air to what has historically been a sealed-off building type. These features, among others, earned the project a gold LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council last year. It’s expected to consume a third less energy than comparable structures.

Visitors gain access on the ground floor alongside a bus-and-shuttle underpass, which is bisected by a man-made stream pumped from the subsurface aquifer that connects the building to its site (a riverfront park is in the works). Modest-size exhibition halls occupy the west end of this floor, with administrative offices located to the east. On the second floor, nary a single column impedes the expanse of the main exhibition hall—clearly the grand achievement of this project. During temperate months, fresh air cools the volume, introduced through louvers on the north and south sides. A glazed walkway that crosses over the hall puts visitors at eye level with the cable-and-truss-supported roof.

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Formal name of Project:
David L Lawrence Convention Center

Location:
Pittsburgh

Gross square footage:
1,450,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$294 Million

Owner:
Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA)
Pittsburgh, PA

Architect:
Rafael Viñoly Architects PC
50 Vandam Street
New York, NY 10013
T 212-924-5060
F 212-924-5858
www.rvapc.com