Mahan Rykiel Associates is working with the architecture team to develop the site design for a challenging “non-site” on the hillside between the upper and lower campuses at the University of Pittsburgh. The project includes a 600-bed new student housing high rise building over a new garage on a steep hillside that drops more than 60’ from the front entrance of the building to the garage entrance on the lower side. MRA is working with the design team to coordinate outdoor roof garden spaces over the garage for outdoor student living since there are no flat areas on the site to accommodate those uses.
The MRA team is also designing a destination connection from the upper and lower campuses to make the trek up the hill between the two campuses more appealing and easier to manage. This new connection, known as Panther Run, will be an iconic space that will become a part of the campus fabric and a go-to campus location. The design includes stairs and connections to the new buildings along the path, an amphitheater, gathering and study spaces, and creative storm water solutions to transform the hillside from its currently strictly utilitarian roots to an engaging destination space.
