After years of public comment and close collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has revealed its revised proposal for the Smithsonian Campus master plan in Washington, D.C.
The roughly 17-acre site includes the Castle, the Arts and Industries Building, the Freer Gallery, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the mostly subterranean Quadrangle Building, which is home to the National Museum of African Art, the Sackler Gallery of Art and the S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Rendering courtesy of BIG and Brick Visual.
The revised plan reflects the team’s commitment to preserving the character of the Haupt Garden while addressing existing and future needs of the cultural institution. “Since our last proposal, we’ve been listening very closely to the public. We wanted the general feeling and fondness for the Haupt Garden to remain the same while also increasing its enjoyment and use, offering educational elements and after hour programs,” said Bjarke Ingels in a speech given to members of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), local decision makers, and residents and garden enthusiasts.
Rendering courtesy of BIG and Brick Visual.
The new proposal also makes the National Museum of African Art and the Sackler Gallery more accessible. These areas were hidden beneath the garden and have been “under-enjoyed compared to the value they represent,” according to Ingels.
The new master plan will attempt to improve existing facilities by creating an expanded Visitor Center and a new Education Space, creating clear connections, access points, and visibility between the museums and gardens by reconfiguring the entrance pavilions to the African Art Museum and Sackler Gallery, and replacing aging building mechanical systems, including structural reinforcements of the Castle to withstand potential seismic activity.
Rendering courtesy of BIG and Brick Visual.
The first stage of the plan, the renovation of the Castle, is expected to begin in 2021.
Rendering courtesy of BIG and Brick Visual.
Related Stories
| May 11, 2014
Final call for entries: 2014 Giants 300 survey
BD+C's 2014 Giants 300 survey forms are due Wednesday, May 21. Survey results will be published in our July 2014 issue. The annual Giants 300 Report ranks the top AEC firms in commercial construction, by revenue.
| May 9, 2014
New York Public Library scraps drastic renovation plans
The New York Public Library's controversial renovation, involving the removal of stacks from the Schwarzman building and the closing of the mid-Manhattan branch, has been dropped in favor of a less dramatic plan.
| May 2, 2014
World's largest outdoor chandelier tops reworked streetscape for Cleveland's PlayhouseSquare
Streetscape project includes monumental gateway portals, LED signage, and a new plaza, fire pit, sidewalk café, and alfresco dining area.
| May 2, 2014
Must see: French pavilion to take food from roof to table
France has presented its design for Expo Milano 2015 in Milan—its representative building will be covered in gardens on the outside, from which food will be harvested and served inside.
| Apr 30, 2014
Visiting Beijing's massive Chaoyang Park Plaza will be like 'moving through a urban forest'
Construction work has begun on the 120,000-sm mixed-use development, which was envisioned by MAD architects as a modern, urban forest.
| Apr 29, 2014
USGBC launches real-time green building data dashboard
The online data visualization resource highlights green building data for each state and Washington, D.C.
Smart Buildings | Apr 28, 2014
Cities Alive: Arup report examines latest trends in urban green spaces
From vertical farming to glowing trees (yes, glowing trees), Arup engineers imagine the future of green infrastructure in cities across the world.
| Apr 24, 2014
Unbuilt and Famous: LEGO releases box set of Bjarke Ingels' LEGO museum
LEGO Architecture has created a box set that customers can use to build replicas of the LEGO Museum, which is not yet built in real life. The museum, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, will commemorate the history of LEGO.
| Apr 24, 2014
Gothic-style dance center breaks ground at University of Southern California
The program for the three-story building will include a dance/performance studio, five dance studios, instructional classrooms, performer support spaces, costume storage, and faculty and administrative offices.
| Apr 23, 2014
Mean and Green: Top 10 green building projects for 2014 [slideshow]
The American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment has selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and ecological design projects that protect and enhance the environment. Projects range from a project for Portland's homeless to public parks to a LEED Platinum campus center.
