In the Croghan’s Edge Townhouse project, mossArchitects was asked to address a difficult infill challenge in Pittsburgh’s dense urban neighborhood of Lawrenceville. The challenge was to accommodate four distinct for-sale residences on a small triangular site of only 3,300 square feet, an area that is bounded by two streets and an alley. Additionally, the developer was seeking to use factory-built modular components for the upper stories. The solution was to develop a scheme that not only addressed the neighborhood rowhouse scale but also provided a contemporary interpretation of the neighborhood context. The design turned the site problems into opportunities for a unique design solution.

Situated along Penn Avenue, the site is surrounded by a mix of uses that comprise the residential/commercial corridor. The isolation of the triangular island allowed for a more contemporary palette and articulation, while maintaining massing and density appropriate to the adjacent historic neighborhood.