'Portal to the Point' Design Ideas Displayed in Pittsburgh; Available Online

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The Portal Bridge at night, looking toward downtown Pittsburgh. (Image courtesy of Marlon Blackwell Architect)

A team led by Marlon Blackwell is one of five multidisciplinary teams that focused on public art and design for an idea-generating project regarding the iconic Point State Park in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The teams’ innovative visions for the park’s Portal Bridge are now on display through Dec. 2 at Springboard Space, Springboard Design’s on-site gallery, at 24 Terminal Way in Pittsburgh. The teams were invited to explore ideas relating to the form, function, artistic elements and interpretative design of the Portal Bridge and its vicinity. They unveiled their design proposals in early October.

The five teams were selected from a list of North American architects, landscape architects, designers and artists invited to submit their qualifications. Blackwell, of Marlon Blackwell Architect in Fayetteville, was one team leader, working with these collaborators: dlandstudio; Renfro Design Group; Guy Nordenson & Associates; and Kendall Buster. Blackwell is also a distinguished professor and head of the architecture department in the Fay Jones School of Architecture.

This project, called “Portal to the Point: A Design Ideas Exploration,” is an “Idea Generation Project” funded by the Colcom Foundation, of Pittsburgh, and managed by Springboard Design, also of Pittsburgh.

“The five ‘Portal to the Point’ projects make no little plans,” said Paul Rosenblatt, the project adviser and a principal at Springboard Design. “They are bold – even visionary – and not afraid to suggest approaches that may or may not be realistic. But, hopefully, they will stir discussion and excitement about the potential for the Portal Bridge. In that regard, I think they are all a great success. I can’t wait to share these projects with the public and see whether they stir Pittsburgh’s blood.”

Tim Inglis, president of the Colcom Foundation, said this exhibition of ideas will foster greater appreciation for the Portal Bridge. “I am excited about the potential of these proposals and how they will stimulate public imagination. Where this leads, time will tell,” he said. This project was focused purely on the development of ideas. Whether or not any work is commissioned is outside the scope of this exploration.

The most visible landmark in Pittsburgh, Point State Park is the subject of countless photographs of the city. In the context of American history, it was once a significant crossing and battleground, a symbol of resistance and independence. Today, it is the city’s focal point for recreation, celebration and enjoyment, serving as the locale for festivals, concerts and regattas.

The Portal Bridge is an elevated highway thoroughfare that bisects the park north to south and leads to bridges that span the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. The focus of this design project is the space underneath this overpass and a deliberately undefined area surrounding the portal.

To facilitate public feedback and information about the explorations, additional public exhibition of the teams’ presentations will be displayed at multiple Pittsburgh locations. Display boards will be exhibited in December at the Fort Pitt Museum in Point State Park and at The Heinz History Center in the Strip District, as well as other future venues. A public symposium with the teams will be held at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

In addition, a book will be created to document the process and the results. That book will be available online and will establish an extended platform for the dissemination of information about the project.

Springboard Design has also launched a new website, located at www.portaltothepoint.org, to showcase the public art and design visions proposed for Point State Park’s Portal Bridge. The website presents each team’s images and explanatory texts, and contains links to related news articles. A significant aspect of the site is its online public forum, offering to visitors an extended platform to discuss the projects.

For more information, contact Paul Rosenblatt, project adviser, at Springboard Design, 412-390-4040 or paul@springboarddesign.net.