Tag: washington | ArchDaily

National Museum of the United States Army / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Paula Pintos — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000

The National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA), a cultural institution of national significance that is the first to tell the story of the oldest branch of the United States military. The building – which is located just 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C. – is designed to serve as a center of education, and the Army's symbolic front door. By walking visitors through every generation of the Army, the museum focuses not on battles or wars, but on the individual soldier – a centuries-long narrative of honor, sacrifice, and valor.

“Coming Together” Exhibition in Washington Explores Post-Pandemic Transformations of Community and Public Spaces

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:30:00 +0000

The exhibition Coming Together: Reimagining America's Downtowns, held at Washington, D.C.'s National Building Museum, explores the transformations underway in the United States' downtowns and the ways communities have organized to shape alternative urban scenarios. Curated by Uwe S. Brandes, Professor at Georgetown University, and designed by Reddymade and MGMT., it is the first of three major exhibitions within the Museum's Future Cities initiative, an interdisciplinary project examining the city as a hub, catalyst, essential building block, and reflection of society. Coming Together features examples from more than 60 U.S. cities, both large and small, highlighting lessons learned and opportunities embraced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as communities adapt to lasting changes in work, housing, mobility, entertainment, and recreation. The exhibition is currently open to the public and will remain on view through Fall 2026.

The Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship / Sasaki

Hana Abdel — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000

The new Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship at the Frederick Gunn School unites a range of learning environments together in one integrated building. The school was founded in 1850 by Frederick William Gunn, who was an educator, abolitionist, and advocate for the outdoors, and responsible for innovations in curriculum and student development. The new building honors his vision, replaces an outdated brutalist science building, and brings a contemporary expression to campus while maintaining the scale and integrity of its surrounding context.

McCourt School of Public Policy Georgetown University / Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Andreas Luco — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) has designed a new flagship home for the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University's Capitol Campus in downtown Washington, D.C. The new 150,0000 sqft building, located at 125 E St. NW, is an academic hub for students, faculty, researchers, and the wider policymaking community active in the nation's capital. The building houses extensive educational and community spaces, including 20 classrooms, an expansive main commons, academic offices, a 400-seat auditorium, and a large rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the U.S. Capitol and a 280-seat venue. As an academic center devoted to addressing complex national and international challenges, the McCourt School of Public Policy prioritizes sustainability and energy efficiency and is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Additionally, a series of original site-specific installations by architect, designer, artist, and sculptor Maya Lin encourage building users to consider their natural surroundings.

Brown House / BLDUS

Andreas Luco — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:00:00 +0000

A single-family house in a newly named alley in Capitol Hill is an opportunity to elaborate upon a healthy material palette featuring black locust wood, cork cladding, hemp insulation, and bamboo structural walls. The design of the linear alley house strikes a balance between privacy and light, using balconies, a vestibule, a terrace, and a rooftop garden to mediate the site and its surrounding context. Durable black locust slats protect cork cladding, screen balconies, structure a fence, and provide fall protection on the rooftop. The exterior cork cladding is echoed by a spray cork finish on interior ceilings, while the bamboo structural panels are exposed on the interior and stained with PolyWhey, a by-product of the cheese industry. Cellulose and hemp insulation fill the hollow wall cavities and flat roofs. Copper details handle precipitation and highlight the layers of the house in Overbeck Alley.

Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. / Bates Smart

Hana Abdel — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 03:00:00 +0000

Site - The Embassy of Australia in Washington D.C. is one of the country’s largest diplomatic presences. The design by Bates Smart stands as both an integral civic space and an enduring symbol of Australia. The embassy’s architecture, landscape, and commissioned artworks combine to embed an enduring relationship between Australia and the United States. The Embassy respects and upholds the character of the city of Washington D.C., completing Scott Circle and addressing the street axes to 16th Street and the White House and Massachusetts Avenue, commonly referred to as Embassy Row.

Wide House / BLDUS

Hadir Al Koshta — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Tucked away in an alley in central Washington, D.C., this long thin house subverts conventions of the surrounding rowhouse fabric and other alley houses being built nearby. Prioritizing a balance between natural light and privacy, the six-bedroom house features several outdoor spaces between it and its integral fence.

Cities Light Up in Solidarity with Ukraine

Thomas Schielke — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 03:30:00 +0000

In the realm of media architecture and its role in supporting struggles for social justice, the recent Media Architecture Biennale 2023 (MAB23) in Toronto, Canada, shed light on a captivating aspect: The rapid and vast propagation of solidarity lighting in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The synchronized illuminations, infused with activism and global art projects, became a powerful emblem of worldwide support for Ukraine during its time of crisis. Two emphatic female political leaders in Europe initiated the lighting solidarity message. Surprisingly, the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag illumination on iconic buildings worldwide defined an image of solidarity even faster in the press than large crowds of people in anti-war protests the weekend after the war began.

Perkins&Will Is Among the Finalists for the United States Navy Museum Design, Along with BIG, Gehry Partners, DLR Group and Quinn Evans

Maria-Cristina Florian — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Perkins&Will has been selected as one of the five finalists in the nationwide artistic ideas competition for the design of the new National Museum of the U.S. Navy. The other finalists are DLR Group, Frank Gehry Partners, Quinn Evans, and BIG. Organised by the Naval Heritage History and Command’s (NHHC), the competition’s aim is to create a modern museum for Naval veterans and the public, a new building and ceremonial courtyard to reflect the Navy’s values and legacy. The campus would consist of approximately 270,000 square feet, with 100,000 square feet of gallery space. The Navy’s preferred location for the museum is on a site adjacent to the Washington Navy Yard.

BIG Selected as a Finalist for New United States Navy Museum Design

Maria-Cristina Florian — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) was selected as one of the finalists in the Naval Heritage History and Command’s (NHHC) competition for the design of the new National Museum of the U.S. Navy. The competition’s aim is to create a publicly accessible modern museum for Naval veterans and the public, a memorial to the U.S. Navy’s heritage, and a center for education and cultural events. The other finalists are DLR Group, Frank Gehry Partners, Quinn Evans, and Perkins&Will.

Northwest Native: Homes of the Salish Sea

Eric Baldwin — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 05:30:00 +0000

The Pacific Northwest is synonymous with rainy mountains, expansive coastlines and dense forests. Known for its majestic landscapes, the region has innate connections to the waterfront. Over time, these channels were referred to as the Salish Sea. Encompassing the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound, the intricate network of bays and inlets is bounded by British Columbia and Washington. Dotted with a number of major port cities, including Bellingham, Vancouver, and Seattle, the Salish Sea has also been home to many indigenous peoples.

AKRIS Boutique Saint Gallen / David Chipperfield Architects

Paula Pintos — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 03:00:00 +0000

Following a collaboration that began in 2018 between DCA Milan and the Kriemler brothers for the development of a new Store Concept, the first AKRIS prototype store opened in Washington DC. AKRIS is an international fashion house founded in Saint Gallen, Switzerland in 1922, its name is an acronym of Alice Kriemler– Schoch, the company’s founder. Ownership has since passed down the family and is now in the hands of the founder’s grandchildren, Albert and Peter Kriemler.

Grimshaw Reveals the Design of Washington Union Station Expansion Project

Maria-Cristina Florian — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 05:30:00 +0000

Architecture practice Grimshaw, in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle, Arup, and VHB, has revealed designs for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project (SEP) in Washington DC, USA. The project will ensure the preservation of the historic station and will improve access to the existing railway services, Metrorail, DC Streetcar, and bus services. The expansion aims to become a multi-modal transportation hub for the district adjacent to the historic station. In addition, the SEP will incorporate enhanced vehicle access and cycle and pedestrian routes.

Gyo Obata’s Restaurant Pavilion in Washington D.C to be Demolished and Replaced with Bezos Learning Center

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 06:30:00 +0000

The Smithsonian Institution has announced that the glass-clad pyramid restaurant of Washington D.C's National Air and Space Museum, designed by Gyo Obata, FAIA, co-founder of renowned architecture firm HOK, will be demolished this spring and replaced with a new educational facility titled the Bezos Learning Center. The restaurant is one of two buildings designed by the late architect for the National Mall, originally constructed in 1988 as an additional structure to the National Air and Space Museum, that served as a dining area for the museum's visitors.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library / Mecanoo + OTJ Architects

Paula Pintos — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0000

After a three-year transformation by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo, working in collaboration with OTJ Architects, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (MLKL) has re-opened in Washington D.C. The library, which opened in 1972, is reborn as a contemporary lifelong-learning hub that reaches out to all communities. It was the only library designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, one of the twentieth century’s greatest architects, and was subsequently named after Dr. King, the towering civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1968. Francine Houben, principal, founding partner, and creative director of Mecanoo, says: “We have been guided by Martin Luther King’s timeless values and implemented them in this, the most important library for the people of America’s capital”.

C40 and Arup Showcase Climate Action Initiatives from 11 Global Cities Within a Virtual Exhibition at COP26

Andreea Cutieru — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 05:30:00 +0000

This week, the C40 global network of cities and engineering and sustainability firm Arup launched a virtual exhibition showcasing examples of climate initiatives and resiliency strategies from 11 cities committed to addressing climate change. Given that cities account for more than 70% of global carbon emissions, the Global Cities Climate Action Exhibition aims to highlight the role of cities in reaching climate targets through local policies and urban development plans, achieving tangible emission reductions and increasing social equity.

Two Rivers Public Charter School / Studio Twenty Seven Architecture

Alexandria Bramley — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Two Rivers Public Charter School is a network of high-performing public charter schools in Washington DC. The new middle school at Young campus, designed by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture, is a state-of-the-art facility featuring large classrooms, dedicated common space, a full-sized gymnasium, outdoor courts, sun-filled atrium and the signature ‘sitting steps’ in the foyer. This school serves 6th through 8th graders and is connected to the existing elementary school via an elevated bridge. Special instruction rooms include art, drama, music, Spanish, science lab, and breakout instructional spaces.

West Half / ODA New York

Paula Pintos — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 03:00:00 +0000

ODA’s process, just like their design, is fractal by nature - thinking about how cities are made up of small units of life, that operate independently yet are bound by a shared community. This concept has manifested in an iconic new structure in Washington DC’s Navy Yard. West Half, a newly completed multi-family residential complex, houses 465 apartments, nearly 1000 people, in a single square block. And yet the internal circulation of the building, the curated multi-level amenities, rich access to outdoor space, and the cascading nature of the facade creates a connection at the street level and gives the building a transparent, approachable feel, while the bright yellow underbelly of the cantilevers delivers a subliminal layer of color theory 101: Happiness.