Stop 3: August Wilson African American Culture Center
980 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15222
Located at a prime corner connecting Pittsburgh’s Downtown, Convention, and Cultural Districts, the LEED-certified August Wilson Center is impossible to miss. The space offers residents and visitors from around the world a chance to celebrate Black culture in honor of Pittsburgh native August Wilson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. The building’s unique design offers multiple opportunities for passersby on the street outside to interact with the history and art displayed inside. A massive picture window provides bountiful natural daylight into the space and reduces the need for interior lighting, but at night, the window offers a distinctive view from the street into the exhibit space.
More About this Building:
- During construction, 50% of waste was diverted from the landfill
- The project team specified 20% of building materials from around the region, to support the local economy and reduce associated emissions
- Fun Fact: The bowed metal and glass front corner of the building serves as a transparent enclosure for one of the interior light-filled spaces, and symbolizes the forward movement of African American culture