EHRMAN CREST ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE SENECA VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS A PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER IN DESIGN DURING LAST YEAR’S ARCHITECTURE WEEK IN PITTSBURGH. THE CONTEST WILL AGAIN BE FEATURED IN THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS. | PHOTO BY LAURA PETERS/CANNONDESIGN

Architecture in Pittsburgh — from the grandeur of 19th century buildings to modern steel skyscrapers and more — will be celebrated with a slate of events during the third annual Architecture Week kicking off on Oct. 7.

The week also celebrates the 125th anniversary of AIA Pittsburgh, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Architecture Week is sponsored by AIA Pittsburgh and its sister organization, the Pittsburgh Architecture Foundation.

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Architecture styles in Pittsburgh range from the Flemish-Gothic Union Trust Building, Downtown, to sustainable buildings like the Frick Environmental Center in Squirrel Hill to the adaptive reuse of existing buildings, like Mill 19 in Hazelwood and Alphabet City in the old Masonic Temple on the North Side. 

“Architecture Week is an opportunity to increase the visibility and appreciation of the quality of our built environment and the role design plays in our lives,” said Sean Sheffler, AIA Pittsburgh president, in a statement. “We want to inspire people, especially young people, to access ways of discussing and ideally shaping our built surroundings.”

This year’s Architecture Week will include:

• Monday, Oct 7: “PechaKucha Night,” AIA Pittsburgh’s signature evening of short form storytelling, Lawrenceville.
• Tuesday, Oct 8: “Architecture Matters: Designing for Well-Being” panel discussion, Downtown
• Wednesday, Oct 9: “Imagined Futures: Rapid Design Prototyping for Community Development,” Strip District
• Thursday, Oct. 10: Downtown Open Architecture Studio Night, Lower Downtown
• Thursday, Oct. 10: Young Preservationists Association Top Ten Announcement, Lower Hill District
• Friday, Oct. 11: “How to Advocate for Healthy Change Through Architecture: Sustainable Design in Your Community,” East Liberty
• Friday, Oct. 11: “Art Deco Highrises of Pittsburgh and Across America,” Downtown

Many events are free but require registration. For a full schedule and to register, go here.

Each year AIA Pittsburgh invites the general public to vote on their favorite architecture project — the People’s Choice Award — that has been recently designed by a local architecture firm in the Pittsburgh region. Among last year’s top 10 winners were West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital, Ehrman Crest Elementary and Middle School in the Seneca Valley School District and Georgie’s Corner Cafe in Shadyside.

For this year’s selections, you can choose your favorite designs and vote electronically on AIA Pittsburgh’s website here.

Viewing and voting on the 2024 projects runs from Wednesday, Oct. 4 through Nov. 3. Winners will be announced on Friday, Nov. 8.

“Architecture and designed community spaces are arguably the most public of the arts, and yet we often walk or drive by them without really thinking about their effect on us,” said Michelle Fanzo, executive director of AIA Pittsburgh, in a statement.