Photo: Ed Massery Photography

The Pittsburgh Glass Center is a nonprofit dedicated to teaching, creating, and promoting glass art.  The project entailed the renovation of an old masonry building, as well as a prominent addition, to create a new home for the organization. A large quantity of materials ranging from finishes, doors, masonry, and casework were reused from both on-site and off-site sources. In total, about 14% (by cost) of the materials used in the project were reclaimed.  One of the most interesting applications of reclaimed materials is the glass façade of the new addition.  The corrugated glass panels, as well as the aluminum framing system, were recovered from a demolished field house at a university nearby the project site.  The team designed the addition around the module set by the reclaimed glass.  Reclaimed materials yield a raw, yet contemporary, look for the Pittsburgh Glass Center and advance the organization’s mission by showcasing the potential of glass as a material.

Reclaimed Materials (by application): Metals, Doors/Windows

Key Info
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Date of Completion: 2002
Architect: dggp Architecture with Bruce Lindsey Architect, now FortyEighty Architecture
Client: Pittsburgh Glass Center

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AIA COTE Case Study