Building's design supports bringing people with disabilities into the community. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/23/2012)
Excerpt: Mr. Rosenblatt said the idea of showcasing the agency's guiding principles in this way emerged from meetings with Mr. Condeluci and his staff, who had noticed that Springboard associate Shannon Ashmore had "wonderfully friendly handwriting."
"We suggested it might be fun to use that handwriting in the space itself and began to focus on three columns that march through the space. We imagined them like big blackboards."
Another inspiration was the concept of "architecture parlante" (literally, "speaking architecture"), in which buildings explain their own purpose or identity. The concept, originally associated with 19th-century French architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux, underlies the practice of embedding words or names in building designs. The facades of Carnegie Institute in Oakland and the Boston Public Library are examples.
"The words embody the idea that buildings are living breathing organisms," explained Mr. Rosenblatt. "If the building speaks, you may also be inspired to think about building community on other levels."
"The fundamental idea that Al has developed is creating a bridge between people with disabilities and society," Mr. Rosenblatt added. "Enlarging the idea of community, connecting people. This concept permeates the design."
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