PN Demo - 12

ACCESS
througharchitecture
FRANK MENENDEZ, P VA A R C H I T E C T U R E
ALL PHOTOS BY FRANK MENENDEZ

Mount Vernon: An Update
The Visitors’ Center for George Washington’s historic Mount Vernon, in northeast Virginia about 15 miles from Washington, D.C., is a welcomed enhancement to one of America’s most famous presidential sites. It includes the Ford Orientation Center and the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center. These additions make the experience of visiting the site much more enjoyable and educational. The entire new complex is fully accessible, with careful attention on the conjunction of ambulatory- and wheelchairuser paths through both buildings. In most cases, there is a seamless combination of user flow. The two buildings are located at the point of entry to the site, where visitors have a choice of entering the Orientation Center or the Museum before proceeding to the historic structures. However, the suggested sequence of circulation is

The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center’s side entrance has a change in grade level. The ramp and stairs converge onto the same entryway.

to first visit the Orientation Center, then the historic Mansion and grounds, fol-

lowed by the Museum. This sequence is implied in the design of the connecting paths between the various buildings.

Entering the Site
The historic Mansion is accessible to people who use manual wheelchairs (nonmotorized wheelchairs only, due to the existing door widths and clearance limitations). The Ford Center provides a number of manual wheelchairs for visitors who are able to transfer. The plantation grounds have accessible paths of varying degrees of difficulties due to the sometimes steep terrain. The paths that are appropriate for wheelchair users are clearly marked. The main entry to the Ford Orientation Center and side entry to the Donald W. Reynolds Museum present an easy path to users, with appropriate paving and visual clues. In the case of the Reynolds Museum’s side entrance, where there is a change in grade level,

Appropriate paving and visual clues provide an easy path to people visiting the Ford Orientation Center at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s historic home. 12 | December 2010

PN Demo

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PN Demo

PN Demo
Contents
Contributors
PVA President's Message
PVA Chapter Roster
Reasons & Remarks Redivivus
Readers Respond
Access Through Architecture
A Closer Look
When It's More Than "The Blues"
Putting on a Brave Face
Depression After SCI: Myths and Facts
PN Demo - PN Demo
PN Demo - Cover2
PN Demo - 3
PN Demo - Contents
PN Demo - 5
PN Demo - Contributors
PN Demo - 7
PN Demo - PVA President's Message
PN Demo - PVA Chapter Roster
PN Demo - Reasons & Remarks Redivivus
PN Demo - Readers Respond
PN Demo - Access Through Architecture
PN Demo - 13
PN Demo - 14
PN Demo - 15
PN Demo - A Closer Look
PN Demo - 17
PN Demo - 18
PN Demo - When It's More Than "The Blues"
PN Demo - Putting on a Brave Face
PN Demo - 21
PN Demo - Depression After SCI: Myths and Facts
PN Demo - 23
PN Demo - 24
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