AIArchitect

by R. Steven Lewis, AIA, NOMA

This past Friday, the Smithsonian Institution proudly unveiled to the public the six design competition entries for the planned National Museum of African American History and Culture. A press conference held that afternoon at the famed Castle Building marked the beginning of a one-week exhibition of models, drawings, visualizations and descriptive text prepared by the six finalists - all notable firms. Later Friday evening, Museum director, Lonnie Bunch, hosted an invited-reception where an interesting cross-section of individuals representing a variety of stakeholders gathered to view and informally discuss the design submissions.

An African-born architect whose practice is primarily based in London will be the lead designer of the Smithsonian’s African-American Museum of History and Culture. The Freelon Adjaye Bond and SmithGroup team were selected by the Smithsonian’s jury April 14. David Adjaye, Hon. FAIA, will be the lead designer and Philip Freelon’s, FAIA, firm will be the architect of record. Max Bond, FAIA, of the New York-based firm Davis Brody Bond  died in February. 

Channeling fellow Chicagoan Daniel Burnham, President Obama called for the nation to “make no little plans” last week when he called for a new network of high-speed rail lines that would connect the country’s major population centers from coast to coast.  Such a project would be funded by the economic stimulus package that the president signed into law in February, $8 billion of which has been allocated for high-speed rail.