PIT Is Reimagining What an Airport Can Be

PHOTOS BY BETH HOLLERICH

When you think of airports, many may think of people movers, gate changes and long lines at security. Odds are, you don’t think of nature. 

Pittsburgh International Airport is aiming to change that.

On July 29, PIT unveiled the new, pre-security UPMC Terrace, a 36,000 square-foot greenspace that features a walkway, seating and landscaping inspired by the region’s natural beauty. With access points on the arrivals level at the Welcome Point and between baggage carousels five and eight, the terrace “provides travelers, visitors and employees with access to fresh air, natural light and views of airport operations, intending to create moments of calm amid the often-hectic pace of travel,” according to Blue Sky News.

At a ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday, Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis called the terrace “the most beautiful outdoor space at a U.S. airport” and added that it allows visitors to get a taste of Western Pennsylvania’s beauty.

And the best part? Anyone can enter.

“We are one of the few airports in the United States that has access to the outdoors like this without the cost of entering; you don’t have to pay, you don’t have to be a member of a certain club,” Cassotis says. “The terraces are redefining what it means to be an airport. I think this will surprise a lot of people, and people will say, ‘Oh, I had no idea you could do this.’”

PIT is among the first major U.S. airports to incorporate multiple outdoor terraces directly into a new terminal design and to provide such space both before and after security. It joins the ranks of San Diego International, which opened a 5,000-square-foot post-security terrace in 2005, and New York’s JFK, which added a post-security rooftop deck as part of its Terminal 5i project.

But PIT’s pre-security terrace stands out for its “public-oriented design,” which officials say allows the public to “experience the magic of aviation” whether they’re boarding a plane or not.

UPMC TERRACE RIBBON CUTTING FEATURING, LEFT TO RIGHT, RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION DIRECTOR SAM REIMAN, ALLEGHENY COUNTY COUNCIL REP. KATHLEEN MADONNA-EMMERLING, ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE SARA INNAMORATO, ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY CEO CHRISTINA CASSOTIS, UPMC SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND TALENT MANAGEMENT OFFICER JAMES TAYLOR AND ACAA CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER TRAVIS MCNICHOLS.

“The UPMC Terrace is much more than an airport amenity that we put our name on,” says James Taylor, UPMC’s senior vice president and chief culture, community and talent management officer. “It is a special community space that reflects the energy, beauty and spirit of our region. It creates a healthier, more welcoming travel experience and reinforces Pittsburgh’s global reputation as a place that values innovation, well-being and community connection.”

Other leaders spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony, including Allegheny County Council District 1 Rep. Kathleen Madonna-Emmerling, whose district includes the airport, and  Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. 

“From the architecture to the use of the native landscape, this airport reflects that our region is thriving, innovative and deeply committed to our natural beauty and to all who come here. The UPMC Terrace is a perfect example of that vision,” Madonna-Emmerling says. “It represents a new way of thinking about airports.”

A Return to the Roots

Indeed, the terraces are part of an emerging trend but are still rarely found in American airports — space available to the public, where visitors and travelers can enjoy the outdoors. Most outdoor spaces in airports are part of airline clubs and are exclusive to lounge members, premium cabin passengers or those who purchase lounge access. 

However, the pre-security terraces pay homage to the earlier days of airline travel, when airports were destinations in themselves and people routinely visited the hubs to watch aircraft arrive and depart.

According to Blue Sky News, the 1952 Pittsburgh International Airport terminal was specifically designed with multiple outdoor observation decks. It also featured the famous “Horizon Room” on the fourth floor, which offered panoramic views of the airfield and became the building’s most popular viewing area.

By the 1980s and 1990s, though, the focus shifted in favor of efficiency and the maximization of retail space; after the 1992 midfield terminal opened, PIT lost the large public observation areas that had been a hallmark of the original terminal. A decade later, the post-9/11 era would see a massive overhaul of airport security, making large, open-air areas more difficult to implement. 

Over the last 10 to20 years, airports have been exploring ways to meet in the middle.

Security at PIT is no less robust than before, and safety is still at the forefront of its operations, officials say. For example, plant selections for the terrace were carefully made to reduce the attraction of birds and other animals that could pose safety risks to aircraft. 

The result is a space that balances aesthetics with airport safety requirements — and that reflects shifting passenger ideals.

“COVID made us very aware of our environments around each other and accelerated the trend of having outdoor public spaces,” says Ken Greene, assistant professor in the college of business at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. “Travelers wanted fresh air, a break from crowded terminals and even leg room to stretch out and relax.”

Uniquely Black and Gold — and Green

Officials say the landscape architects responsible for the terrace, OJB Studios, were inspired by the landscapes of southwestern Pennsylvania and the Appalachian region. This broad ecoregion extends across parts of Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia and Northeastern Kentucky. It is characterized by steep rolling hills, major rivers and valleys — all of which are design elements that can be found within the airport’s greenspaces.

The UPMC Terrace alone boasts more than 40 “artfully combined” species of trees, shrubs and perennials, with approximately 60% of the planting palette made up of native species. The flora and fauna are planted in four distinctive planting character zones: woodland, meadow/prairie, river valley and upland/plateau.

These native and climate-adapted plants support pollinators and ecological resilience, as well as help create an authentic sense of place that connects visitors to the natural beauty of western Pennsylvania, officials say.

“The mix of flowering perennials, grasses, shrubs and evergreen species provides changing color, texture and visual interest across all four seasons,” reads a release from Blue Sky News. “The thoughtful design creates a dynamic, year-round experience that reflects the beauty of Pennsylvania’s changing seasons, from early spring blooms and peak summer conditions to the beauty of fall colors and colder winter months.

Complementing the native plants, many of the building materials were also sourced locally, including the sandstone walls. Other design elements evoke Western Pennsylvanian vibes, too; designers say the felled timber and the gently curving walkways create a landscape that feels “distinctly rooted in Pittsburgh and, more specifically, the river valleys of the Western Allegheny Plateau region.”

“It doesn’t feel like a landscape that could exist anywhere; it feels like it belongs here,” says Samantha Partington, OJB Studios’ technical director.

A second pre-security terrace, as well as the Green Spine in front of the parking garage and two additional post-security terraces, will also open in the future to provide additional outdoor seating areas designed for relaxation and informal meetings. They’ll offer year-round panoramic views of the airfield and surrounding landscape, too.

Officials say all four terraces will be irrigated by a rainwater harvesting system that was created as part of the new terminal build. It reduces the need for potable water by capturing rainwater from the terminal’s roof and storing it for reuse.

The system is part of the airport’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes the native plants, as well as low-flow plumbing fixtures, stormwater management features and the airport’s on-site microgrid powered by natural gas and solar energy.

“It’s so incredible to see a space like this incorporated into an airport and taking sustainability to the next level,” says Brian Gongaware, project architect with Gensler, who collaborated with HDR and luis vidal+architects in designing the new terminal. “I think that this is really an amazing precedent for the aviation industry.”