1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Phipps Conservatory
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nation’s oldest and largest Victorian glass house

2. History
Phipps Conservatory was a gift to the city of Pittsburgh by Henry Phipps.
Phipps wanted to “erect something that will prove a source of instructions as well as pleasure to the people”
Construction took one year and cost $110,000

3. History
Lord and Burnham of Irvington –on-the-Hudson, a prestigious New York greenhouse firm, designed Phipps conservatory.
Due to city’s shortage of funds the conservatory was signed over to Phipps Conservatory, Inc. on a 100 year lease in July 1993

4. History
It’s spectacular display houses feature “silvered” domes and glass vaults and an elaborate Richard Romanesque stone entrance.

5. History
When the conservatory opened in December 7, 1893 it was the largest conservatory in the United States.
It also had one of the finest collections of tropical plants acquired from the Columbian exposition in Chicago

6. Present building use Operated by Phipps Conservatory, Inc.
Under this new management Phipps has added educational programming to display as a primary focus of operations.

7. Present Building Use Lobby/Gift Shop Palm Court Sunken Garden
Victoria Room
Parterre De Broderie
East Room
Dessert Room
Serpentine Room
Fern Room
Stove Room
Orchid Room
South Conservatory
Fruit and Spice Room
Gallery

8. Present Building Use
Botany Hall available for classes, meetings, presentations and lectures
Newly renovated facility includes full handicap accessibility
First floor is a lecture hall, recently re-named the Joan Kilner Hunt Auditorium, to accommodate approximately 110 people
Equipped with auditorium seating and audio-video capabilities

9. Present Building Use
Phipps also has space available for rent through out the year.
For:
Weddings
Bridal showers
Receptions
Workplace meetings
Holiday parties

10. Map of Phipps Conservatory

11. Architectural Analysis

12. Organizational Layout Spaces linked by a common space
The palm court is the dominate room in the conservatory organizing the various display rooms

13. Organizational Layout Adjacent Spaces
Adjacency is the most common type of relationship
Spaces clearly defined to show specific functions
Limits visual and physical access between adjacent spaces, reinforcing individuality of each space, and accommodates there differences
All three branches off the palm court follows this type of organization

14. Organization Linear/Centralized Organization
Centralized – central dominate space about which a number of secondary spaces are grouped
Linear – branches
off central space
are arranged in
linear sequence of
repetitive spaces

15. Circulation Approach
Frontal Approach leading directly to entrance

16. Circulation Entrance
Flush entrance maintains continuity of the wall surface
Elaborate Richardson Romanesque stone
Appearance is similar to the domes used throughout the structure
Placed in the center of frontal plane adding to the symmetry of the building

17. Circulation Linear Path Flow Pass Through Spaces

18. Proportion and Scale

19. Ordering Principles Symmetry
Bilateral Symmetry – split with medium axis into two essentially identical halves
Local symmetry allowing building to respond to exceptional conditions of its site

20. Ordering Principles Hierarchy Size/Placement
The size of the Palm Court dominates the conservatory with its significantly larger size and height from other parts of the conservatory
Center piece is symmetrical organization

21. Ordering Principles Hierarchy Shape
Dome on west and east end
Differentiation of dome makes it visually dominate

22. Site Related Aspect Parking Facilities
Parking is available free of charge in the center island in front of the conservatory
Metered parking is also located in the front of the conservatory

23. Site Related Aspect
Seven outdoor gardens

24. Site-Related
Various walkways