Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) has opened a publicly accessible outdoor terrace as part of its new terminal, providing travellers, visitors and airport staff with access to an open-air space before passing through security.
The UPMC Terrace, which officially opened on 29 July, covers 36,000 square feet and is located on the Arrivals Level. Accessible without a boarding pass, it includes seating, landscaped areas and views of airport operations, allowing members of the public, passengers and employees to spend time outdoors within the terminal environment.
The terrace can be accessed from the Welcome Point near the VisitPittsburgh desk or between baggage carousels five and eight.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) CEO Christina Cassotis said the terrace had been designed to reflect the landscape of western Pennsylvania while creating a space where people could relax before or after travelling.
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis said:If we look around today and take a look at what I think is probably the most beautiful outdoor space at a U.S. airport, and one that has been so carefully designed to allow for a Pittsburgh, western Pennsylvania, Allegheny County experience for travelers, as well as staff, to encounter the beauty of this area, and really, to just to feel better.
Unlike many airport outdoor spaces, which are located inside secure areas or within airline lounges, the UPMC Terrace is open to all visitors regardless of whether they are travelling. Airport officials said the aim is to provide access to fresh air, natural light and outdoor seating for passengers, those meeting arriving travellers, employees and members of the local community.
The project was supported by healthcare provider UPMC and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
Richard King Mellon Foundation Director Sam Reiman said:Getting people outdoors and into nature is essential for health and well-being — and now people will have the opportunity to do so at the airport, while they are travelling. The Foundation is grateful to CEO Christina Cassotis for her creative leadership in prioritising this novel airport amenity, and our Board was pleased to support it.
The UPMC Terrace forms part of a wider programme of outdoor spaces planned for the airport. Pittsburgh International Airport intends to open a second pre-security terrace, two post-security terraces for departing passengers and the Green Spine public area outside the terminal in future phases of the development.
Outdoor spaces are becoming more common in airport design, with many recent developments incorporating terraces or open-air areas intended to improve passenger wellbeing by providing daylight and fresh air. However, these facilities are typically located after security or within airline lounges.
Airport officials said Pittsburgh International Airport is among the relatively small number of major US airports to include multiple outdoor terraces within a terminal design, with both public pre-security access and post-security spaces for departing passengers.
The public terrace also continues a tradition established at Pittsburgh’s earlier terminals, which featured outdoor observation decks where visitors could watch aircraft movements. Many such facilities disappeared from US airports following changes to terminal design priorities and increased security measures in the late twentieth century and after 2001.
By incorporating publicly accessible outdoor areas into its new terminal, Pittsburgh International Airport aims to provide additional space for passengers and visitors to spend time outside while maintaining access to airport facilities before and after travel.
For further information about Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal, listen to the latest episode of All Routes Considered, in interview with PIT CEO Christina Cassotis.
