WHO WE ARE
The Pittsburgh Platform is a MOVEMENT.
The Pittsburgh Platform is a forum, catalyst for change at the intersection of architecture, urban planning, and public health.
We advocate for environmental health equity — the idea that everyone deserves to live in a healthy environment, regardless of background, income, or geography. We believe better design leads to healthier, more equitable communities.
Our work spans borders, disciplines, and perspectives — building connections between Sweden, New York, Pittsburgh, and beyond.
Why the Built Environment?
The spaces we live, work, and move through — our homes, schools, parks, streets — deeply shape our health, safety, and sense of belonging.
But the built environment isn’t neutral. It can either heal or harm.
We’re here to shift the way people think about architecture and planning — not as background conditions, but as powerful tools for public good.
Why Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh is a city shaped by reinvention.
From steel to sustainability, its legacy is one of transformation — a place that has navigated environmental, economic, and social challenges while cultivating deep networks of innovation, resilience, and care.
It’s also a city where stark health disparities and environmental injustices remain, making it a powerful lens through which to examine how architecture and planning influence wellbeing.
The Pittsburgh Platform began here — not just because of geography, but because of the city’s layered history, active community voices, and ongoing efforts to imagine healthier, more just futures.
Pittsburgh is our grounding context. But the work, the questions, and the momentum reach far beyond.
Our Purpose
The Pittsburgh Platform exists to:
Put public health, environmental protection, and social equity at the forefront of architecture and planning
Challenge business-as-usual thinking by showcasing alternatives that work
Create a global, cross-disciplinary network for knowledge-sharing and collaboration
Inspire measurable outcomes that improve lives — from individual buildings to whole neighborhoods
Our work is guided by the values behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while grounded in the specific, lived realities of the places we serve.
Our Way of Working
We host conversations.
We highlight projects.
We build community.
Through open dialogue and shared learning, we aim to inspire and equip architects, planners, decision-makers, community advocates, and community members with the tools to demand better — and design better.
We recognize that each person and place has something to contribute. That’s why our approach is iterative and inclusive, shaped by local knowledge and global exchange.
Pittsburgh — with all its complexity — is our starting point.
But the movement is international, reaching across oceans and disciplines to build collective momentum for healthier design.
Who We're For
Whether you're:
An architect rethinking your practice
A planner pushing for equity in policy
A community advocate demanding healthier streets
Or simply someone who cares about how design affects daily life...
You belong here.
Together, we can shape environments that uplift everyone.