Brick color would become one of the project's challenges, but the design team knew it was essential to get it right. Jeanne Chen, FAIA, principal at Moore Ruble Yudell, worked closely with The Belden Brick Company to make subtle adjustments to the bricks’ shale and clay content to produce more vivid golden custom hues than the standard campus buff. The resulting masonry work marries the historic brickwork on other buildings on campus while offering its unique design. The varying colors of brick on the exterior of the new building are patterned and warm, making the large structure beautiful and inviting.

The exterior consists of rectilinear volumes clad in a custom color blend of 21" Roman 470-479 Light Range Smooth, 870-874 Velour, and Goldenrod Ironspot, fired in our beehive kilns at Plant 4, counterpointed with glazed "void" elements syncopated and rotated to break up the visual mass. The building's contemporary expression respects the campus's historic buildings, which rely on buff-colored masonry. In response to Pittsburgh's frequently overcast skies, the design team customized a masonry mix that gives the Tepper Quad warmth even on the cloudiest day. Visual interest is achieved through the 3-D play of the brick and the glass areas, which breaks up the solid portions and allows for an “outside-in” feel as well as plenty of natural light.