From PPG Place promotional brochure, April 1985.
Pittsburgh's "Crown Jewel"
Welcome to PPG Place, a resplendent complex described by
architectural
critics and the media as "the crown jewel in Pittsburgh's skyline"..."the
towering success of downtown Pittsburgh"..."one of the most ambitious,
sensitive and public spirited urban developments since Rockefeller
Center."
It is a shimmering glass complex centered on a 40-story office tower,
reflecting the skies, hills, rivers and buildings of one of America's
most liveable cities.
It is also the home of PPG Industries, a leading manufacturer of glass,
chemicals, coatings and resins and fiber glass, which has called downtown
Pittsburgh home since 1895. It is the company's commitment to the city
and the future.
Located on a five-acre site adjacent to historic Market Square, PPG Place
offers premier office space, dining facilities and shopping and service
accommodations. In addition to the centerpiece 635-foot tower, there are
five other buildings in the complex--a 14-story building and four
six-story buildings.
The buildings surround a grand plaza evoking visions of the great public
squares of Europe. Paved in a mosaic of red, grey and black granite, the
plaza serves, somewhat paradoxically, both as a restful haven and a
reflection of a pulsing urban marketplace. The soaring glass-enclosed
Wintergarden on the west side of the main tower furnishes an oasis of
green while providing a dramatic gathering place for all seasons.
Destined for Greatness
Even before it sprang from the seed of mere idea to fruition, PPG Place
was destined for greatness. The internationally renowned architectural
firm headed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee was chosen to design it.
They developed a theme that is distinctive, and at the same time woven
into the architectural fabric of the city.
A thicket of 231 spires crowning the complex,
the largest of
them 82 feet tall, recalls some of the city's great buildings, such as
the Allegheny County Courthouse and the
University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of
Learning. But energy-efficient reflective insulating glass is used
instead of stone as the building curtain wall
material, creating a play of light and shadow across the surface of the
buildings that changes, chameleon-like, with the seasons and even the
hours of the day.
Departing from the slab shapes dominant in American architecture, the
complex features curtainwalls in which the glass is faceted vertically,
The neo-Gothic forms of the complex help to serve an as architectural
bridge between the historic
structures of the city
and the newer geometrical high-rises that stud the downtown skyline.
Nearly one million square feet of reflective silver Solarban 550
Twindow insulating glass units--by PPG, of course--sheath the
$200 million complex. The tower contains 19,750 pieces of glass.
Energy Is Saved
In addition to contributing to PPG Place's distinctive look, the
high-performance reflective insulating glass units provide a degree of
energy efficiency unmatched in many new buildings.
The neutral silver glass lowers solar heat gain in summer by reflecting
light away from surfaces. It reduces heat loss in winter because of the
infrared reflecting properties of its Solarban reflective
coating. It also minimizes artificial lighting and air-conditioning
requirements, the two large energy consumers in buildings. The wall
system includes a thermal barrier that effectively isolates the interior
wall components from exterior structural members. A variable-volume
air-conditioning system and task lighting contribute to energy
efficiency. For added energy savings, heat generated by computer equipment
is captured and recycled throughout the structure.
PPG's world headquarters occupies more than half the floors in the tower,
known as One PPG Place, and part of another building. The rest of the
tower is prime rental space. Visitors enter the tower through soaring
five-story-high glass arches on the plaza side of the building.
The 50-foot-high tower lobby is paneled in deep red glass, and all floors
are served by 21 high-speed elevators whose walls consist of clear glass
panels enclosing fractured glass in a unique process to produce a
distinctive artistic pattern.
PPG Place: A People Place
The grandeur and technological sophistication of PPG Place, however, do
not mask its function as a gathering place for Pittsburgh area residents
and visitors alike.
The Wintergarden, plaza, arcades and retail areas embrace the public with
a sense of welcome, encouraging all to tarry. Concerts and other special
events will bolster this warm feeling.
Welcomed by civic officials as a jewel of the city's second downtown
renaissance, PPG Place has set a high standard for its Pittsburgh
neighbors.
