1+3+9 Statement

The importance of looking at layers that have accumulated over time in the history of Pittsburgh, and how interactions of these complex systems can be studied and the lessons learned serve to bring industry and ecology back to Homestead.

The layering of transportation systems, ecological systems, cultural influences, regional architecture, and systems of industry have served to create complex overlaps over time. This combination of systems led to a thriving environment in the history of Pittsburgh during its glory days due to optimization of conditions. Looking at how each system developed both separately from each other as well as together will start to reveal complex overlaps and show the successes and failures that resulted.

These five systems had a very strong reliance on each other to form a complete whole in the industrial development of Pittsburgh. A major part of this is the people who inhabit the different neighborhoods, as they shape the culture of the region and serve as the basis for a deep-rooted pride in their community. All of the systems studied are constantly changing based not only on the people of the region, but also on environmental factors as well as the changing economic climate of the country. Studying how these systems have interacted with each other will redeal what was successful and unsuccessful in the previous decades to create a future reminiscient of Pittsburgh’s magnificent past. Hierarchically, the different systems will prove to be strong at different times in their development over time. In the present day, Pittsburgh’s greatest strength is the pride of the people who live there, and their deep attachment to the place. The river have been a natural element that brought the city much of its success, and this should be utilized in the revitalization of the areas that have seen better days.
Access to the river is limited in many neighborhoods, and this creates a disconnect between the potential that the river can bring and its actual affect on communities due to the fact that people who live directly adjacent to the river often have little to no interaction with it. By creating better access to the river, it will be possible to reveal and strengthen these systems that brought industry, wealth, and culture to areas like Homestead. Through learning from the past and looking at the affect of layering over time, the conditions necessary to once again make Homestead a thriving commercial center will be revealed.