Contract - October 2016 - 71

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS CHARLES (HEADSHOT); ALAN KARCHMER (ALL OTHERS)

"As an African American, I feel a sense of honor and deep
appreciation for the privilege of leading the design team.
I believe that my ancestors would be proud." -Philip Freelon

How important was the team in this collaboration?
I don't believe that one architect possesses all of the expertise
necessary to deliver a $540 million state-of-the-art museum. Each
member of the design team brought specific strengths to the table,
and the collaboration was very successful. David Adjaye was the lead
designer, and The Freelon Group (now part of Perkins+Will) was
the architect of record and held the contract with the Smithsonian
Institution. Davis Brody Bond and SmithGroupJJR rounded out the
team providing technical expertise and strong working relationships
with the Smithsonian. Coordinating the work of the four architects
and the additional 29 consulting firms was Zena Howard, AIA,
the senior project manager with my team at Perkins+Will.
For a project of this size and complexity, it takes a team,
it really does. I've been proud of the way we've been able to work
together and the coordination not only of the four architects, but also
of the consultants. That is something to be proud of as the architect
of record responsible for bringing it all together.

The form of the 400,000square-foot museum
(opposite, bottom left) is
inspired by the three-tiered
crowns used in Yoruban
art from West Africa.
The structure is clad with
3,600 bronze-colored
cast-aluminum panels
(left and above).

What was surprising or unexpected about the design process?
Working with the regulatory agencies was a challenge, and yet also quite
productive. The Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the National Capital
Planning Commission (NCPC) were very interested in-some might say
concerned about-the presence of the new building on the Mall. With a
discerning eye on the long-range vision for the development of the District,
these agencies were justifiably interested in the design. The final structure
reflects the collaboration between the design team and the agencies,
ultimately resulting in a museum that is dignified, respectful of its neighbors,
and well-suited to its compact site with half of the building below grade.

and his staff were important contributors. The museum formed
an advisory board comprised of scholars and historians that vetted
the content and message to ensure authenticity. The National Park
Service offered input. Even the Secret Service was consulted because
there are sight lines from the museum to the White House.
What does it mean to you, personally, to have led the design
team for the museum?
For me, this was the commission of a lifetime. Nine years ago, when
The Freelon Group was hired to provide the predesign and master
facilities programming document, I could only imagine what the new
museum might be. Subsequently, winning the international design
competition gave us the opportunity to conceptualize and then bring
to life this world-class institution. As an African American, I feel a sense
of honor and deep appreciation for the privilege of leading the design
team. I believe that my ancestors would be proud.
In the broader context of our nation in 2016, how important
is this museum?
When I think about Black Lives Matter, Trayvon Martin, and some
of these instances that are happening today, it just reminds me of the
1960s. It's like a flashback. And the need for this museum to illuminate
our culture so that people can appreciate and embrace it-and to
understand that these are American stories-is so necessary. This is
the Noah's Ark for African American culture-a place of remembrance
and celebration. But it is also a repository housing the difficult stories
in our nation's history lest we forget. It is important to tell the truth
in all of its painful detail. Ultimately, for me, this museum is about
perseverance, resiliency, triumph, and making a way out of no way.
[The museum is here to] to build bridges between what seem
to be disparate cultures. But we are all Americans. Lonnie Bunch often
says that the African-American story is the quintessential American
story. There are difficult stories in the African-American struggle,
but it's important to tell the truth.

In museum design, the exhibition experience is rapidly evolving
to meet the desires of people today with changing technology.
How did current thinking influence the design of the interiors
and exhibitions in this museum?
One constant about technology is that it is always changing.
The museum's infrastructure was designed and engineered to
accommodate growth and the possibility of new and evolving technologies. What is your hope for how this building endures through
the coming years?
For instance, the changing gallery was conceived as a plain box with
African American history and culture are commemorated and brought
a duct grid in the floor and ceiling capable of distributing power and
data in virtually any configuration. It is essentially a blank canvas ready to life in and around this museum building. It is a story that continues
to unfold. The museum will adapt and respond through its exhibits
to adapt to the next iteration of exhibit content-delivery systems.
and ongoing programming to offer all who visit a new lens through
which to view the world. c
Outside of the design team, are there certain entities that you
had discussions with that influenced your thoughts on the design
of the museum, and what impact did that have?
In addition to the CFA and the NCPC, there were many avenues
for input. The predesign and planning process included stakeholder
workshops in cities around the country. Director Lonnie G. Bunch III
contract



Contract - October 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - October 2016

Contract - October 2016
Contents
Editorial
Industry News
Columnist: Productizing Practice: Growing Revenue Without Growing Staff
Healthcare Design Expo Product Preview
Product Focus: Haute Couture
Product Briefs
BBC Worldwide
Nixon Peabody
GLG Austin
Reconsidering the Midcentury Workplace
2016 ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design
An Interview With Philip Freelon
Designers Select: Tables and Casegoods
Sources
Ad Index
For the Calhoun School in New York, FXFOWLE Reconceives Interiors With Renewed Vitality
Contract - October 2016 - Intro
Contract - October 2016 - Contract - October 2016
Contract - October 2016 - Cover2
Contract - October 2016 - 1
Contract - October 2016 - 2
Contract - October 2016 - 3
Contract - October 2016 - 4
Contract - October 2016 - 5
Contract - October 2016 - Contents
Contract - October 2016 - 7
Contract - October 2016 - 8
Contract - October 2016 - 9
Contract - October 2016 - 10
Contract - October 2016 - 11
Contract - October 2016 - 12
Contract - October 2016 - 13
Contract - October 2016 - 14
Contract - October 2016 - 15
Contract - October 2016 - 16
Contract - October 2016 - 17
Contract - October 2016 - Editorial
Contract - October 2016 - 19
Contract - October 2016 - 20
Contract - October 2016 - 21
Contract - October 2016 - Industry News
Contract - October 2016 - 23
Contract - October 2016 - Columnist: Productizing Practice: Growing Revenue Without Growing Staff
Contract - October 2016 - 25
Contract - October 2016 - Healthcare Design Expo Product Preview
Contract - October 2016 - 27
Contract - October 2016 - 28
Contract - October 2016 - 29
Contract - October 2016 - 30
Contract - October 2016 - 31
Contract - October 2016 - Product Focus: Haute Couture
Contract - October 2016 - 33
Contract - October 2016 - Product Briefs
Contract - October 2016 - 35
Contract - October 2016 - 36
Contract - October 2016 - 37
Contract - October 2016 - 38
Contract - October 2016 - 39
Contract - October 2016 - 40
Contract - October 2016 - 41
Contract - October 2016 - BBC Worldwide
Contract - October 2016 - 43
Contract - October 2016 - 44
Contract - October 2016 - 45
Contract - October 2016 - 46
Contract - October 2016 - 47
Contract - October 2016 - 48
Contract - October 2016 - 49
Contract - October 2016 - Nixon Peabody
Contract - October 2016 - 51
Contract - October 2016 - 52
Contract - October 2016 - 53
Contract - October 2016 - 54
Contract - October 2016 - 55
Contract - October 2016 - GLG Austin
Contract - October 2016 - 57
Contract - October 2016 - 58
Contract - October 2016 - 59
Contract - October 2016 - Reconsidering the Midcentury Workplace
Contract - October 2016 - 61
Contract - October 2016 - 62
Contract - October 2016 - 63
Contract - October 2016 - 2016 ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design
Contract - October 2016 - 65
Contract - October 2016 - 66
Contract - October 2016 - 67
Contract - October 2016 - 68
Contract - October 2016 - 69
Contract - October 2016 - An Interview With Philip Freelon
Contract - October 2016 - 71
Contract - October 2016 - Designers Select: Tables and Casegoods
Contract - October 2016 - 73
Contract - October 2016 - Sources
Contract - October 2016 - 75
Contract - October 2016 - 76
Contract - October 2016 - 77
Contract - October 2016 - Ad Index
Contract - October 2016 - 79
Contract - October 2016 - For the Calhoun School in New York, FXFOWLE Reconceives Interiors With Renewed Vitality
Contract - October 2016 - Cover3
Contract - October 2016 - Cover4
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