Thursday, May 3, 2012
News
Design competition seeks to improve National Mall
Design competition seeks to improve National Mall
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Associated Press
A nonprofit group that raises money for the National Mall is looking for ideas to overhaul three parts of "America's front yard" that have been overused and neglected for years.
The Trust for the National Mall on Thursday started seeking proposals from architects and designers who will compete to make the mall one of the world's best parks.
Competitors must follow the National Park Service's plan for the mall developed over four years and signed in November by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. At the time, he gave the mall a "C" grade for its dead grass, stagnant water and sinking seawalls along its waterways.
Such competitions have been integral with the mall's evolution, from Robert Mills' white obelisk design for the Washington Monument to Maya Lin's concept for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Bob Vogel, the mall's new superintendent, said organizers were looking to the "transformational changes" made by the Central Park Conservancy in New York, among other models.
"This is one of the earliest public spaces in our nation," he said. "There are facilities, some of them dating back to the 1800s, that really exceeded their life expectancy."
Click here to view the original story on Forbes.com.
Visit nationalmalldesign.org to learn more about the Design Competition.
For press inquiries please contact Joe Kildea at (202) 210-3250 or joekildea@rational360.com.