30 Student Teams Propose New Uses for Lawrenceville Lot

“All of my students absolutely benefited from this project. It gave them an excellent hands-on way to practice math/science skills learned in class.” ––Westmoreland Middle School Teacher

More than 130 middle and high school students from Westmoreland County participated in PHLF’s 19th Annual Architectural Design Challenge on February 26 and 27, 2015 at Monessen High School. Students worked in teams to create models showing their vision for the corner lot in Lawrenceville at Penn Avenue and 34th Street, across from Doughboy Square. The photo gallery below shows the exceptional models that were presented by the student teams on February 26 and 27.

Students considered historical context and sustainability and came up with terrific design concepts, including: Mars Grille; a restaurant with apartments above; ABC Fun Center (Arcade, Bowling, Cuisine); The Dough Factory; The Skyline Bakery; Paws Playhouse (a dog daycare); a bakery with an apartment for the owners; Rigotoni (an Italian Restaurant); the Lawrenceville Cafe with apartments above; the Sweetheart Bakery, Boutique, and Bar; a frozen yogurt, bakery, and rooftop cafe; Le Restaurant Genial; Palate to Palette––Around the World (an interactive restaurant that allows people to experience cultural foods and crafts); The Skyline Cafe with apartments for college students; and the Stephen Foster Music Center.

Award recipients on February 26 were:

• Wendover Middle––First Place & Student Award
• Monessen Middle––Second Place
• Trafford Middle––Third Place
• Greater Latrobe Middle––Honorable Mention
• Harrold Middle––Honorable Mention
• Penn Middle (Team C)––Honorable Mention
• Penn Middle (Team B)––CMU School of Architecture Award (most creative use of recycled materials)
• West Hempfield Middle––Penguin Award (for the biggest risk and lesson learned)

Award recipients on February 27 were:

High Schools:

• Penn-Trafford––First Place, Student Award, & CMU School of Architecture Award (most creative use of recycled materials)
• Mount Pleasant––Second Place & Penguin Award (for the biggest risk and lesson learned)
• Yough––Third Place
• Derry Area––Honorable Mention
  

Middle Schools:

• Franklin Regional Team C––First Place
• Franklin Regional Team D––Second Place
• Yough Team A––Third Place & CMU School of Architecture Award (most creative use of recycled materials)
• Franklin Regional Team E––Honorable Mention
• Yough Team B––Student Award
• Yough Team E–– Penguin Award (for the biggest risk and lesson learned)

PHLF thanks Cinda Maxwell of Monessen High School for all her help in coordinating the Design Challenge and the following people who critiqued the student projects on February 26 and 27: Ray Bowman (Lami Grubb Architects), Samantha Carter (CMU, School of Architecture), Barbara Ciampini (City of Greensburg), Steven Gifford (Greensburg CDC), Joshua Alan Harter (AE7), Roger Hartung (IKM, Inc.), Jim Speck (Lami Grubb), Paul Steidl (Perkins Eastman), Kelley Stroup (Architectural Historian), and PHLF interns Kirsten Armstrong, Luke Meyer, and Lauren Van Zandt.

“We are grateful to BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the McSwigan Family Foundation for their contributions to our educational programs for young people that help underwrite the Architectural Design Challenge,” said PHLF Executive Director Louise Sturgess. The Design Challenge introduces students to the careers associated with community development and helps them develop their teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.