With a vibrant and deeply rooted historic background, Pittsburgh is a city that offers many layers of insight into the culture of past generations. From the city's muscular industrial heritage to the dual presence of the artistic "Andys," Carnegie and Warhol, the urban scape possesses its own distinct charm. It was this local authenticity that the Gensler design team desired to replicate within the 185-room Fairmont Hotel Pittsburgh’s walls.

Working closely with art consultant Rhonda Goodall of Louisville, Ky-based Goodall Gallery, the team embraced a notion of “Art and Industry” to celebrate the area’s history and art heritage. The hotel opened about a year ago as part of the 23-story mixed-use, LEED Gold-Certified Three PNC Plaza development, which Jeff Henry, principal at Gensler and lead designer on the Fairmont Hotel project, describes as a core space that bustles with activity around the clock.

“In our interiors work for Fairmont we wanted to create strong visual impact and set a dynamic tone not just for the hotel but the whole neighborhood,” explains Henry. “It needed to draw both leisure travelers and convention center business and allow the Fairmont to deliver on its brand promise for luxury and service, all the while operating efficiently and within budget.”

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