Welcome to PPG Place, a resplendent complex described by architectural critics and the media as the crown jewel of Pittsburgh’s skyline.
PPG Place sits atop a 5.5 acre, three-city-block site in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, adjacent to historic Market Square. The shimmering glass complex is centered on a 40-story office tower, reflecting the skies, hills, rivers, and buildings of one of America’s most livable cities.
PPG Place Facts
Groundbreaking:
January 28, 1981
Architects:
John Burgee Architects with
Philip Johnson, New York
Area of Complex:
5.5 Acres, including 1 acre plaza
Buildings:
- One – 40 stories
- Two, Three, Four & Five – 6 stories
- Six – 14 stories
Rentable Space:
1.5 million square feet office; 70,000 square feet retail
Tower Height:
635 feet
Height of Tower Corner Spires:
82 feet
Number of Spires:
231
Glass:
Nearly 1 million square feet neutral silver Solarban 550 clear reflective glass units by PPG; tower glazed with 19,750 pieces of glass.
Wintergarden:
13,000 square feet, height 50 feet to skylight peaks
Tower Lobbies:
East – 50 feet high; West – 24 feet high
Obelisk:
44 feet high, rose granite
Designed by Philip Johnson &
John Burgee
PPG Place offers premier office space, dining facilities, and service accommodations. In addition to the centerpiece 635-foot tower, there are five other buildings in the complex – a 14-story building and four six-story buildings.
The buildings surround a grand plaza evoking visions of the great public squares of Europe. Paved in a mosaic of red, grey and black granite, the plaza serves both as a restful haven and a reflection of a pulsing urban marketplace. The plaza is a place for all seasons with seating and umbrellas surrounding a unique water feature from spring through early fall and an outdoor ice skating rink from November through February.
The soaring glass-enclosed Wintergarden on the west side of the main tower furnishes an oasis of green while providing a dramatic gathering place for all seasons.
The gleaming glass and steel structures, known worldwide for their breathtaking design, were developed by John Burgee Architects with the internationally renowned architect Philip Johnson from New York. This complex with its thicket of 231 spires was designed to weave into the architecture of Pittsburgh and recall the city’s great buildings, such as the Cathedral of Learning and the Allegheny County Courthouse. PPG Place’s neo-Gothic forms are the perfect architectural bridge between the historical structures of the city and the newer geometrical high-rise towers.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on January 28, 1981, and the complex was dedicated on April 11, 1984. The office space opened in August 1983, just two and a half years after the construction began. The shops in Two PPG Place opened in November 1984.
Nearly one million square feet of PPG Solarban 550 clear reflective glass was used, which provides a high degree of energy efficiency unmatched in many buildings. The expansive tower lobbies are paneled in PPG Spandrelite Glass and the elevators are enhanced with a laminated cracked glass mirror.
The grandeur and sophistication of PPG Place does not mask its function as a gathering place for Pittsburgh area residents and visitors alike. The Wintergarden, Plaza, and Arcade areas embrace the public with a sense of welcome, encouraging all to tarry.