Designing the Future of the National Mall
By Dr. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Huffington Post
Today, the Trust for the National Mall will introduce the final design concepts for the National Mall Design Competition, which includes proposals for Constitution Gardens, the Washington Monument grounds at Sylvan Theater and Union Square. These ideas will be exhibited online, allowing for public comment, for several weeks before the winning designs are announced in May. The Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring the National Mall in partnership with the National Park Service.
Created by some of our nation's leading architects, these designs address critical restoration needs and provide a more welcoming environment for visitors. They provide a framework for a more beautiful, useful and sustainable National Mall, while honoring its historic integrity and the original visions of Pierre L'Enfant and the McMillan Commission. These designs represent an important step forward in the preservation and protection of this national treasure.
The National Mall is a public place of great historical and symbolic significance. The Mall gives all Americans -- half of whom will visit the Mall during their lifetime -- an opportunity to connect with our country's history and heroes. It is also where we come together as a nation to inaugurate our presidents, honor our war veterans, exercise our freedom of speech and celebrate the significance of our founding as a nation.
The National Mall is now in desperate need of restoration and repairs. It is visited by more than 25 million people annually -- more than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks combined. Yet, the National Mall has not received resources proportionate to its high volume of visitors and its use in nearly 40 years. It now requires an estimated $400 million for critical deferred maintena ...More...
underneath the file name (just above the picture). Spammers need not apply.
