A Carnegie Library’s legacy of innovation is reincarnated as the Museum Lab—a testing ground for teen learning. The formally abandoned historic library now houses space for youth (10+) to experiment with art and technology, a charter middle school, and incubator space for non-profits in the education sector. The Museum Lab was developed by, and located adjacent to, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh who also developed the Children’s Park.

The adaptive re-use strips back destructive interior alterations that compromised the original landmark. The result is a “beautiful ruin” that evokes local history, and highlights the act of discovery.

Introduction of daylight was a key way of providing expression and reinforcing the reveal. Windows were reinstated and a 2nd floor skylit gathering space was created in a lightwell. That light suffused space has a wintergarden quality with great value in Pittsburgh’s cold winters. Light filters from the gathering space through structural glass flooring to the Grable Gallery below. There it illuminates the art installation by FreelandBuck that evokes the Tiffany glass ceiling that was lost many years ago.

Constant communication between Koning Eizenberg, the Museum, and the Contractor about how these discoveries could be mediated, transformed, highlighted, or covered, in context to how the Museum intended to use the space was absolutely essential.

Manchester Academic Charter School and Museum Lab established a research practice partnership providing the opportunity for an exchange of ideas between the informal world of museum learning and the formal world of classroom education. The Academy uses dedicated space (below) and shares access to the Museum Lab resources, including, the Assembly Hall (left) and Gathering Space.

STATUS
Completed April 2019, LEED Gold

LOCATION
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

CLIENT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

COLLABORATORS
Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel Architects (Architect of Record)
FreelandBuck (Garble Gallery Ceiling Art Installation)

ART
Compound Ringship by Ryder Henry
Some Big Words by Mia Tarducci
AMUSE by Ramon Riley

PROGRAM
52,000 SF Museum Lab, Middle School + Incubator Space

AWARDS + RECOGNITION
2020 Chicago Athenaeum: The American Architecture Award
2020 AIA Pittsburgh Silver Award
2020 Architizer A+ Awards Honoree, Project of the Year
2020 Architizer A+ Awards, Jury Winner
2020 RAIA International Award for Heritage Architecture
2020 RAIA International Award for Sustainable Architecture
2020 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation, Construction: Rehabilitation 2019 MBA Excellence in Construction >$10 Million Renovation Finalist
2018 ULI Pittsburgh, Award of Excellence / Visionary Place

PRESS
Dezeen
Architizer
Interior Design Magazine
AD Russia
NEXT Pittsburgh
CBS Pittsburgh

SEE ALSO
Educational
Cultural/Civic
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
The Thinkery
El Paso Children’s Museum
Geffen Academy at UCLA