The Urban Land Institute Pittsburgh recently hosted its annual Placemaking Awards Ceremony, which celebrates “projects that leverage arts, culture, and design to create meaningful, people-centered places,” and “shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities.” Understanding the value in a holistic approach to wellbeing, and the connections between students’ mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health, Carnegie Mellon University engaged our practice to create the hub of a campus-wide network for wellbeing. The LEED Gold design of the Highmark Center integrates wellness and nature throughout, with strong connections to the outdoors and a focus on creating healthy indoor spaces with access to natural light, ventilation, and natural materials. Whether it’s a student seeking mental health support, community interfaith groups gathering, friends playing pick-up basketball, or a crowd cheering on one of CMU’s varsity teams—the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics welcomes all.

Congratulations to our client and project collaborators, including Mascaro (General Contractor), Langan (Civil Engineer), AEI (Mechanical Engineer), KPFF Consulting Engineers (Structural Engineer), OJB (Landscape Architect), Babich Acoustics (Acoustical Engineering), BrightTree Studios (A/V, IT/Telecommunications, Security), Francis Krahe & Associates (Lighting Designer), and BranchPattern (LEED Consultant & Commissioning Provider), with photography by Nic Lehoux and Ed Massery. Learn more about the project below.