PIT’s New Terminal Nominated for Prestigious Award, Needs Your Help to Win

Pittsburgh International Airport has been nominated for one of the architecture world’s most prominent honors as part of the Architizer A+Awards, an influential global program that celebrates outstanding design across the built environment. This nomination places PIT among an elite group of projects recognized for excellence in innovation, functionality and meaningful design impact.

PIT’s category is Architecture + Localism. With public voting playing a role in selecting winners, the program elevates projects that successfully balance creativity, usability and long-term significance in shaping how people experience the built world.

The Popular Choice Award gives the public an opportunity to support their favorite projects. Voting is open now through Friday, May 15, 2026, and participation is free with registration.

Show your support for PIT by voting here: Vote for the A+Awards Popular Choice

Honoring Place-Based Design: Architecture + Localism

PIT’s Architecture + Localism Award category—one of the program’s “Plus” distinctions—reserved for projects that respond deeply and thoughtfully to their surroundings. This category celebrates architecture that reflects local identity, climate, materials and community needs, and showcasing how design can be both globally relevant and locally grounded.

Since the new PIT opened in November 2025, the facility has greeted millions of travelers as the new front door for the Pittsburgh region. Throughout the design process with Gensler + HDR in association with Luis Vidal + architects, it was imperative that this new terminal represent the vibrant, growing region that Pittsburgh is today, airport officials have said.

After spending several weeks-long immersive experiences in the region, the designers settled on the key design traits of nature, technology and community – all key parts of the new Pittsburgh of today.

The undulating roof represents the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania; the steel support beams and wood-like ceiling mimic the trees of our region’s plentiful forests; and the open spaces on both arrivals and departures allow for meeters and greeters to see loved ones off and pick them up, a uniquely Pittsburgh community tradition.

At the same time, the technology in the terminal is representative of the thriving tech economy in our region – including innovations pioneered through our on-site xBridge Innovation Center that use the airport as a testbed for growing tech companies and their products.

The new terminal’s ecological efficiency is unmatched. It is the first and only airport to be completely powered by an on-site microgrid using natural gas and solar energy. The microgrid cuts emissions, saves on utility costs and boosts resiliency. The new facility itself is on track for LEED Gold status, and we look forward to opening four new outdoor terraces later this year – both pre- and post-security – a rarity for U.S. airports.

The terraces will be open to everyone, not just those with club access, and are modeled after local landscapes and habitats – and they’re sustained through captured rainwater from the roof. Additionally, the terminal contains 100,000 square feet of glass, allowing for efficient clerestory light throughout the facility.

The facility was built for Pittsburgh by Pittsburgh meaning that 90 percent of materials and labor were sourced locally during construction, generating $2.5 billion of economic impact for the region.