We considered the 32-foot-wide strip around the entire complex as a thin ring of opportunity, and extruded it to the height of the existing mall complex, creating nearly one million square feet of mixed-use for the Northside and a series of new, more welcoming ways into Allegheny Center. The ring will host a range of much-needed programs including a hotel, expansion to the Allegheny General Hospital, additional office space, and several housing types, from apartments to row houses to townhouses. Unlike the current inwardly focused pedestrian realm, the ground floor of the entire superblock faces outward, stepping back from the street wall above to create a generous covered walkway, and lined in activated edges such as retail, community spaces, and various open playing areas, including a skate park adjacent to the Children’s Museum. The roof of the entire complex is transformed into nearly 20 acres of new parkland and playing fields, with spectacular views of the Northside and Downtown Pittsburgh.

Thus, the suberblock is given a new liner, a deep and programmable façade that removes both physical and psychological barriers to accessing the site. By developing the ring, the proposal also increases the number of residents, workers, and community groups who will use the entire area, thereby increasing the site’s relevance and increasing the probability that it will survive for decades to come.