The National Mall in Washington DC, popularly known as "America's front yard," may soon get a much-needed makeover. The Trust for the National Mall has announced the 12 finalists in a major design competition to improve sites that have been crumbling for years, and the winners will be announced in May. The finalists include some of the most prominent names in the United States in the fields of architecture and landscape architecture.
The photo above is the concept by Andropogon Associates and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson for Constitution Gardens, including a restored lake, a glass pavilion (Founders' Hall), a marketplace, plazas and more. The site is near the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and the Reflecting Pool.
The Mall, between the Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol building, is visited by more than 25 million people a year, and it is now marked by cracked and sinking sidewalks, large areas of dirt (and mud when it rains) instead of grass, and limited public facilities. The National Park Service has said the Mall requires $400 million for critical deferred maintenance and at least another $300 in improvements. The competition called for sustainable designs that would help preserve and protect the Mall for many years to come.
The image at left, by Michael Maltzan Architecture and the Tom Leader Studio, calls for a underground facility at the Washington Monument, with dining, retail and event spaces, as well as an amphitheater with a circular stage.
The public has been invited to comment on the designs of the competition finalists, which can be found on the Trust's website … but just try getting on that website!
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