Children's Museum of Pittsburgh MuseumLab wins international design award

MuseumLab, the newest expansion of Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, was named Civic and Cultural Interior of the Year in the international Dezeen Awards 2020.

Presented by the architecture and design website Dezeen, the award was revealed during an online presentation in November.

The Dezeen Awards, now in its third year, identify the world’s best architecture, interior and design projects, as well as the studios, architects and designers producing the most outstanding work.

MuseumLab opened April 27, 2019, as a new museum for youth ages 10 and up in the former Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny in Pittsburgh’s North Side. It is temporarily closed due to the pandemic.

The space was designed by KoningEizenberg Architecture with Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel Architects, based in Pittsburgh, as architect of record.

MuseumLab received one of 12 Dezeen Awards given in the Interiors category from among 1,374 entries. Overall, there were more than 4,300 entries from more than 80 countries for the Dezeen Awards.

MuseumLab was one of only five projects from the United States honored with an award, according to a release.

“KoningEizenberg embraced a ‘beautiful ruin’ approach to rejuvenating the 1890 building, stripping away updates from the 1970s to reveal the columns, archways and grandeur of the historic architecture in its existing state,” the release said. “Emphasis was placed on reconnecting spaces, reintroducing daylight and creating inspiring settings for education and exploration.”

“We approached MuseumLab as an opportunity to think differently not just about what a museum can be, but what a building can be,” said Jane Werner, executive director of Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. “We are so thankful to all of the partners that worked on the project. They have helped us create a space for art, technology and making.”

“A wonderfully articulated and resolved design approach turns a technical and budgetary challenge on its head, and succeeds in surpassing what the project sets out to achieve,” judges for the award said. “The focus on the end-user is evident, as is the collaborative effort it must have taken.”

As part of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh campus, MuseumLab offers experimental art, making and tech programs for youth, as well as space for community events, educator training and event rentals.

It shares space in the building with partners Allies for Children; Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center and Masters of Arts Management Program; Manchester Academic Charter Middle School, whose 120 students attend school on MuseumLab’s second floor; SLB Radio Productions; and the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.

Combining the features of an interactive museum and learning space, it offers camps, workshops and after-school activities.

MuseumLab has been awarded LEED Gold Certification for sustainability and has won numerous other awards for its design.

“Dezeen is the world’s most popular and influential architecture and design website, and the Dezeen Awards are the benchmark for international design excellence and the ultimate accolade for architects and designers everywhere,” the release said.

In 2008, Dezeen was included in Time magazine’s Design 100 list of biggest influences on global design.