Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Pittsburgh Playhouse Opens at Point Park University

  • 10/22/18

The new Pittsburgh Playhouse continues Point Park University’s long tradition of historic preservation and creative reuse, incorporating two historic structures: the University Center originally designed by Frederick J. Osterling for the Colonial Trust Company, and the Stock Exchange Building, originally designed by prominent architect Charles M. Bartberger. Careful to consider the aesthetic of its location, DLR Group|WRL designers created an exterior façade that complements the Playhouse’s historic Pittsburgh, PA, setting architecturally.

Pittsburgh Playhouse

Situated on 1.5 acres at the university’s downtown Pittsburgh campus, the 90,411-square-foot complex is a substantial addition. The project features three new theaters: a 550-seat proscenium/thrust main stage and multi-form 212-seat “transformational thea­ter,” both of which feature variable enclosures that allow each venue to play to its urban neighborhood, and a 102-seat black box venue. It also houses a sound stage, scenery shop, prop shop, paint shop, costume shop, television studio, scenic design and general classrooms, rehearsal halls, acting studios, classrooms, and faculty offices as well as public amenities such as lobbies, concessions, ticket/business office, and performer support. Other labs and shops and studios are exposed to the internal circulation system and to the street itself, communicating the vitality of making, fabrication, experimentation, and creativity.

Featured

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • Georgia State University Opens New Research Tower

    Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, nine-story, 155,000-square-foot Research Tower, according to university news. Amenities include academic classrooms, a large lecture space, teaching labs, faculty research space, and the uppermost floors reserved for future expansion.

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • Construction Begins on 100+ Acre K–12 Campus Designed for Lakota Culture

    The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School District in Eagle Butte, S.D., recently broke ground on a new K–12 campus that will cover more than 100 acres and serve students and families across 1,600 square miles, according to a news release.