The TOWER at PNC Plaza
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Completed
2016
Size
800,000 SF
Owners
PNC Financial Services
Architect
Gensler
Photographer
© Connie Zhou
Design Team
The goal was to deliver a signature headquarters building that redefined the sustainable high-rise: The Tower at PNC Plaza, billed as the “Greenest Skyrise in the World”. Clad in a double-glazed, breathable skin, the building utilizes automated blinds, programmed to prevent direct solar-penetration into the workplace. Extensive modeling and mock-ups were used to optimize daylight harvesting, while minimizing the impacts of glare and solar gain. Simultaneously, electric lighting was designed exclusively around LED technology, complete with tailored outputs, 2-step tolerances, programmable drivers, bespoke fixtures, whole-building lighting controls, and solar positioning software, which illuminates the interior with minimal energy.