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The Smithsonian’s Vaulted Canopy Brings Nature and Light Inside
Posted By
Jill Fehrenbacher
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Architecture,Design,Interior Design |
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The courtyard is now the largest event space in Washington D.C, complete with fully grown trees. The lattice work of the ceiling is reflected in the unique water feature on the floor, and the feeling of being outside is enhanced by the beautiful landscape design by Kathryn Gustafson of Seattle–based Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd. It is meant to be a gathering space with lectures and concerts happening regularly, free public WiFi and a casual dining cafe.
The courtyard’s wavy steel and glass design is the latest of Foster + Partner’s impressive list of projects. They also designed the LEED Gold Hearst Tower in New York City, the Great Court at the British Museum in London and the Reichstag, the New German Parliament in Berlin. The roof was designed with eight aluminum-surfaced columns that reflect the style of the building and are perfectly placed to insure the weight of the vaulted ceiling does not affect the historic structure. Along with being a beautiful place to gather, the courtyard can be seen from the museum’s many galleries providing a summer-like vista even on the coldest of winter days.
+ Foster + Partners
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The Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Washington, DC — the former US Patent Building. Saved by President Eisenhower from impending demolition in 1958, the historic building is currently in the midst of a remarkable renovation by Inhabitat favorite Foster + Partners. Read on for a look at the incredible eco renovation, complete with a vaulted canopy that suffuses the interior with light.
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The roof was designed with eight aluminum-surfaced columns that reflect the style of the building and are perfectly placed to ensure that the weight of the vaulted ceiling does not affect the historic structure. In addition to being a beautiful place to gather, the courtyard can be seen from the museum’s many galleries providing a summer-like vista even on the coldest of winter days.
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Recently redesigned by Foster + Partners, the vaulted glass ceiling of the courtyard is an ode to the sky. It brings light and nature inside while melding perfectly with the building’s classic Grecian style.
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The centerpiece of the restoration is the building’s impressive Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard.
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The courtyard is now the largest event space in Washington D.C., complete with fully grown trees. The lattice work of the ceiling is reflected in the unique water feature on the floor and the feeling of being outside is enhanced by the beautiful design
[6]
The courtyard’s wavy steel and glass design is the latest of Foster + Partner’s impressive list of projects. They designed the LEED Gold Hearst Tower in New York City, the Great Court at the British Museum in London and the Reichstag, the New German in
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The courtyard is meant to be a public gathering space, with regular lectures and concerts, free public WiFi and a casual dining cafe.
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