Following months of research, technical and creative presentations, interviews and evaluations, the Allegheny County Airport Authority announced the architectural and engineering firms selected to design a new terminal that will transform Pittsburgh International Airport for a modern travel experience.
Gensler, headquartered in San Francisco, and HDR, headquartered in Omaha, will begin a joint-venture agreement to design and deliver the Terminal Modernization Program.
Gensler, which has offices in 46 cities around the world including in Pennsylvania, designed the 32-story Tower at PNC Plaza in Downtown Pittsburgh, along with Incheon International Airport in Korea. From facilities serving executive or regional aircraft to those at the largest, most prestigious international hubs, Gensler provides experience-focused, award-winning, responsible design.
The portfolio of HDR, which has 10,000 employees and more than 200 offices worldwide, including an office on Stanwix Street, Downtown, includes universities, hospitals, modernization of the Honolulu International Airport, and locally, the Greenfield Bridge replacement project.
The joint venture team has formed an association with luis vidal + architects, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, to develop a vision for the new terminal that consolidates check-in, ticketing, security and baggage operations into one connected facility. HDR will handle engineering implementation of the design.
luis vidal + architects, which has offices across Spain, the UK, Dominican Republic, Chile, and the U.S. cites Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport among its impressive list of projects. In the U.S. the practice is currently working at the international airports of Denver, Boston Logan and Dallas Fort Worth. Vidal himself also was a leader of the design team of the Terminal 4 project at Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain.
“The Pittsburgh International Airport project will be reflective of its community; a design that is bold, unique and competitive and that will provide the first and last impression that people will carry with them of the Pittsburgh region,” Luis Vidal said.
Airport Authority Board members approved a $15 million contract with the joint venture team for initial design concepts to be drafted over the next few months, as the Authority also works to engage key stakeholders and gather input into final design of the new terminal. The initial design concept is expected to be unveiled early next year.
“We are confident that we have assembled a world-class team with the vision, knowledge and experience necessary to work with all of our partners in building Pittsburgh’s airport – an airport that will transform the travel experience now and into the future and continue advancing our region,” said Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis.
