Buhl Community Park
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
After winning first place in a national competition, ACLA
ushered the design for this public park, adjacent to the Pittsburgh Children’s
Museum, through its opening day in 2012. The design respects and highlights the
historic importance of the site at the same time as it breathes fresh life into
the plaza. After reconnecting the historic city grid that was destroyed during
1960’s-era ‘urban renewal’ efforts, the park is once again the public gathering
area it once was for Allegheny City.
Important design features such as a bioswale and native
planting educate visitors about sustainability, while an interactive art
installation activates the space and fosters a connection with the nearby
Children’s Museum. Emphasizing species native to the waterways, woodlands, and
meadows of Pittsburgh’s region, the planting design for Allegheny Public Square
connects visitors with the experiential qualities of the local ecosystems while
also processing the plaza’s storm-water. ACLA assembled and managed a large
team of designers and engineers to meet the unique challenges of building this
park.
Collaboration with a public artist to develop the
site-specific installation, fully integrated into the park, was an important
aspect of the design process. The resulting art piece by Ned Kahn consists of a
grid of 64 stainless steel poles that emit fog with water fed from the steam
heating system of Pittsburgh. An ethereal hovering sphere floats above the
park’s surface.
