Civic Design: Good for Economic Development

According to Pittsburgh-based Heinz Endowments, "civic design is the process of planning and designing communities and the buildings, public spaces, and thoroughfares of which they are comprised. More commonly referred to as urban planning, civic design more explicitly acknowledges the significance of non-urban environments and connotes the importance of including the public in the articulation of a broad community vision. Conscientious civic design involves a balance of design excellence, environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and community participation."

Here are some examples of civis design projects supported by Heniz.

The Pittsburgh Cultural District: Jack Heinz’s triumphant vision for a downtown Cultural District continues to invigorate Pittsburgh with a strong emphasis on urban aesthetics. In late 1999, The New York Times commented: “To describe Pittsburgh’s unconventional, un-Disneyfied remodeling of its cultural district...is to explore how theater can help transform urban identity in the electronic age.” The Times applauded the district’s loyalty to its urban soul and its architectural sensibility. What underlies both, and the Cultural District itself, is a deep belief in the power of inspired design to transform community life.


Nine Mile Run: At the beginning of the last century, H. J. Heinz was instrumental in bringing Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. to Pittsburgh to plan an extension of Frick Park through Nine Mile Run down to the Monongahela River. For most of the 20th century, that vision was lost as the community fouled Nine Mile Run’s waters and filled its valley with a mountain of slag. Today, however, with help from The Heinz Endowments, the City of Pittsburgh is working with Carnegie Mellon University’s STUDIO for Creative Inquiry to reclaim Nine Mile Run from its century of abuse, and H.J. Heinz’s vision is finally coming to pass. In what promises to become a national model for brownfield restoration, the city is building a new urban community atop the slag heap and Nine Mile Run is being restored as a wild urban park where area residents will soon be able to hike and fish.


Convention Center: In 1998, as part of its commitment to civic design, the Endowments helped to sponsor a design competition for a wholesale expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The winner was Rafael Vinoly Architects P.C. of New York. At its completion in 2003, Pittsburgh's redesigned Convention Center will be a symbol not only of the region’s resurgent business vitality, but also of its style, environmental sensibility, and continuing transformation. With a signature sloped roof, lines that echo the arches of Pittsburgh’s bridges, and public promenades, the new center will be more than a place with a lot of space. It will contribute to a new urban landscape where commerce, art, environmental responsibility and community come together as a signature of the city.


Riverlife Task Force: Pittsburgh’s celebrated three rivers have suddenly become the city’s hottest real estate, as the development of two new stadiums, a new riverfront park, and other projects begin to transform the region’s relationship with its waterways. The community’s civic and political leadership have made reclaiming the riverfront a top priority. With support from The Heinz Endowments and guidance from the internationally-renowned planning firm of Chan Krieger & Associates, a coalition of property owners, civic leaders, and community activists are working to make Pittsburgh’s signature waterfront one of the world’s finest. Visit the site for more information.