April Cool's Day Party
Thanks to the approximately 300 people that joined us on April 1st, 2005 at the Catalyst Building in Lawrenceville for our April Cool's Day Party to celebrate cool spaces and discover the first set of Cool Space Award winners.

Cool Space Award Winners
The following 45 projects, listed alphabetically with excerpts from the nominations, were selected by the judges from 107 nominees as winners of the first ever Cool Space Awards.  Judges were asked to consider the following questions when determining whether a space should receive an award:

• How does the community interact with the space (or vice versa)?
• What was the degree of transformation in the space?
• What makes the space unique and innovative?
• How was the original building and material considered in the space?
• Were used, recycled and/or salvaged materials used?
• Is the space a catalyst for development at the heart of a community in need of revitalization?
• How does the space foster collaboration and interaction?
• How does the space make use of natural light?
• Is the space efficient in the use of energy and/or other resources?
• Does the space demonstrate historic preservation or value architectural history?

We encourage you to explore these projects and search for others in your area that promote revitalization and adaptive reuse.

Please click image to view a larger version of the award winner.

900 Penn Avenue Downtown A mixed-use building with commercial space and residential apartments, "900 Penn Avenue was a long neglected and abandoned timber frame and masonry structure that was in dire need of a new life."
	Annex Cookery Homestead A cookware and housewares store at 218½ East 8th Avenue, which was originally the entry to a courtyard next to a coaching inn, but is now a very narrow infill building dating from about 1900. The timber-frame building has been refaced and stands as one of just a few tin-front facades in the metropolitan area.
Astorino Office Building Downtown Located at 227 Fort Pitt Boulevard, this architectural, engineering, and interior design consulting firm renovated three adjacent buildings while preserving the historical value of the properties and allowing for natural sunlight to infiltrate the space with windows and skylights.
	Bethlehem Haven of Pittsburgh Uptown A shelter for homeless women located in the Fifth Avenue Commons at 905 Watson Street. "As a result of this new space, made possible and supported by compassionate donors and volunteers, Bethlehem Haven has become a model collaborative program, working to help homeless women turn their lives around for good."
The Bruno Building Downtown A narrow seven-story building at 945 Liberty Avenue, which houses two residential tenants and five small businesses: We Do Property; the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, AIA Pittsburgh, No Wall Productions, and the Begler Group. "Many believed the Bruno Building was simply no longer a viable structure and therefore irrelevant to the Cultural District" because bringing the building up to code was "considered to be too daunting and expensive." Ever since the challenges were overcome, the building has been fully occupied.
	Cadnetics, Inc. South Side A three-story CAD and Design firm located at 1205 East Carson Street.  Built in the late 1800s, the structural design reflects many amenities that are rare in contemporary construction, such as loft areas, exposed brick, and oversized arched windows.
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