PIT debuts immersive steel sculptures
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Inside Patrick Marold's new "Open Columns" installation at PIT. Photo: Chrissy Suttles/Axios
Three towering steel columns now stand outside Pittsburgh International Airport's new terminal, linking the traveler experience to the region's landscape and industrial legacy.
Why it matters: Colorado artist Patrick Marold's "Open Columns" is the final permanent commissioned artwork to take its place at the $1.7 billion terminal that opened late last year.
- The 20- to 40-foot cylinders arrive as the airport gains global recognition, including a recent Prix Versailles honor as one of the world's most beautiful airports.
Zoom in: Set between the terminal parking garage and the new terminal, three corten and stainless steel columns form a triangle that creates depth and keeps each structure in sight from every angle.
- Visitors will be able to follow pathways from their cars, weaving through and into the structures, where reflective steel bands frame ever-changing views of the sky.
Between the lines: Keny Marshall, PIT's arts and culture manager, says once lighting is added inside the columns and landscaping is completed later this year, the installation should give travelers another place to pause — much like the outdoor terraces slated to open in the coming weeks.
- "The key is using art as a vehicle to connect people," Marshall said.
What's next: Marshall hopes the space will be ready for travelers to visit by the end of the year.
