David Adjaye is one of today’s most impressive and inspiring architects, and he has been on our minds recently as we follow the continued construction of his National Museum of African American History &Culture on the National Mall in Washington DC. The Grand Opening is slated for September 24th this fall and we can’t wait!
The winning design was a collaboration with the Freelon Group, David Brody Bond and Smith group that celebrates the richness and uniqueness of African American culture not just with what the museum houses, but with the very building itself! Adjaye’s museum manages to gracefully occupy a space of prominence on the Mall with a nod to its surroundings. The angle of the stepped façade matches the capstone of its neighbor, the Washington Monument. Openings throughout the building are strategically placed to frame views of important local monuments and landmarks. The size of the carved bronze filigree panels that make up the building envelope are based on the size of the Monument’s stones, and they are a historical reference to African craftsmanship.
On the interior, Adjaye uses space and light to take visitors along an emotional journey that allows people to focus in on the messages being conveyed by the exhibits and the snapshots of history they represent. Much of the building is actually below ground, and Adjaye was able to create an ambiance of contemplation, serenity and wonder with his play of spaces from open and grand to smaller spaces that invite introspection. One of these such spaces is the “oculus” in which cascading water from the pool above creates an envelope of peacefulness and separation that allows visitors to take a moment and absorb their experiences. We can’t wait to go for a visit!!
All images courtesy of Dezeen Magazine.
