Most of the houses that surround Chatham University on Woodland Road look the same: just another version of a brick Tudor-style. Even if you cannot see into the homes, you can just sense that the interiors have lots of woodwork and some heavy draperies covering each window. But there is one house on Woodland Road that stands out from the Tudor line-up (and one house you can definitely see into). Driving down Woodland Road, one of the main routes through the Chatham University Campus, you won’t be able to miss the Giovannitti House, a strikingly modern addition to the neighborhood.

Designed by architect Richard Meier, the house was built from 1979 to 1983. Unlike the brick structures elsewhere on the street, Giovannitti House prominently features concrete and glass which makes it a striking addition to the neighborhood. In 2013, someone started making a documentary about this house. While we don’t know if they ever completed the entire episode, the trailer does offer a look inside the house and an introduction to the owners, who were moving back into the house at the time.

You can read more about the Giovannitti House here:

• Painting With Light: A modern classic by Richard Meier, Pittsburgh Quarterly, Winter 2012
• Giovannitti House, Galinsky

Do you have a favorite house or building in Pittsburgh? Tell us about it on the socials with the hashtag #VeryLocalPGH.

Header Image: Giovannitti House, photographed by Ryan Neeven