Mellon Square: Discovering a Modern Masterpiece (Modern Landscapes: Transition & Transformation)

The second volume in our Modern Landscapes series examines the evolution of Pittsburgh's first modern garden plaza. Completed in 1955 from a design by the acclaimed landscape design firm Simonds & Simonds and architects Mitchell & Ritchey, Mellon Square functioned as an urban oasis that provided downtown office workers a much-needed respite from the city's infamous smoke pollution. Now, more than six decades later, Mellon Square has has undergone a major restoration led by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the City of Pittsburgh, and lead designer Patricia O Donnell of Heritage Landscapes that has restored this urban garden and spurred major revitalization in downtown Pittsburgh. Featuring new photography and archival material, Mellon Square is the only book to showcase the development of this iconic urban landscape.