African American Cultural Center breaks ground in Pittsburgh

The August Wilson Center for African American Cultural Center designed by Perkins+ Will Architects recently broke ground in Pittsburgh. The building is dedicated to the achievements of African Americans in Pittsburgh and people of African descent throughout the world. The 65,000 square foot two-storey structure is made of local steel, aluminum and plate glass. The ground floor, which is treated as an extension of the street, contains the building’s public spaces, including a gift shop/book store, a music café, a 500-seat theatre and a 4,000 square foot gallery. The second storey houses a second gallery, a 200-seat multi purpose room for performances and rehearsals and education and administrative spaces. The most distinctive feature of the Center is a tall, bowed structure of metal and glass that marks the corner of the building. It has multi readings as a prow or a shield or calls to mind the idea of a leading edge. The building, which is estimated to cost 35.9 million, is slated for completion in 2008.