It's been just over three years since the Smithsonian Institute announced their massive, 2-billion-dollar redevelopment plans. Designed by BIG, the intended overhaul includes a renovation of the Smithsonian castle, expanded visitor services, a new courtyard and mall-facing entrances and walkways to improve visibility and accessibility. In addition, the plans also call for a bold change to the Enid A. Haupt Garden, a 4.2 acre public garden which would be demolished in Ingels' vision in order to raise its edges 30 feet in the air.
Civic organizations, garden enthusiasts and historic preservation groups have spent two years fighting these plans. Upset by the overhaul, back in April, the D.C. Historic Preservation Board got the Smithsonian Quadrangle to be listed as a historic district in the D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites, though that designation does not actually grant any legal protections to the Smithsonian's four buildings or the Enid A. Haupt Garden.
However, opponents to the project may end up getting their way. Last week, the National Capital Planning Commission finally responded with their first comments on the redevelopment. According to the Washington Post, members "praised its attempt to better connect the buildings and gardens, but they questioned the demolishing of the Enid A. Haupt Garden and the uncertainty regarding the future use of the Arts and Industries Building. Several members suggested museum officials were too focused on the Mall and its tourists, to the detriment of city residents."
Comments on the project are open through January 16th and city commissioners have strongly advised the museum to listen to public feedback. "You guys don't exist in a bubble" said Commissioner Eric Shaw. "How this [project] advances you mission needs to be clear"
Updated 1/10/18 at 2:12 PST: In response to criticisms that the Enid A. Haupt Garden would be destroyed, the Smithsonian Institute has assured that the Garden will remain and is to be expanded by 25 percent. "The garden is a rooftop garden and the roof is leaking into the building underneath which is home to our education facilities, as well as galleries for the African Art Museum and the Sackler Gallery. In order to replace the roof, the garden will be removed, new roof and protective membrane installed, and then a Garden re-installed. It will include many elements of the current garden" said Linda St. Thomas, Chief Spokesperson for the Smithsonian Institute.
6 Comments
Gotta love the juxtaposition:
Maybe they are looking to hire "listeners to public feedback"
“BIG is a young architecture company......”
LOL, young and nubile, preferably unpaid
This looks like $2 Billion looking for a reason to be spent. Increased visibility and a ruined garden space isn’t good enough.
that's why he can take a month long vacation in colombia.
Yet more work proposed in a major Olmsted-planned urban landscape-- see also the Obama Library project for Jackson Park in Chicago.
I've always thought BIG's proposal for this project was awful and unnecessarily destructive. I hope it gets canceled.
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