Existing comment:
General Meigs and the National Building Museum
Even before General Meigs retired from the U.S. Army in 1882, 50 years after his career began at West Point, he had secured his next job directly from Congress. Meigs was asked to site, design, and construct a "brick and metal fireproof building" for the Pension Bureau. The work (1882-1887) was his last and most important architectural undertaking. One hundred years later, in 1985, this structure was designated a National Historic Landmark and opened its doors as the National Building Museum.
What makes this building Meigsnificent?
15.5 Million Bricks:
Fireproof and cost-efficient, the walls, ceilings, stairs, and Corinthian columns are constructed from brick. To assure quality, Meigs hired the bricklayers himself and carefully monitored and reported on their progress.
World-Class Scale:
Corinthian columns: 75 feet high, 8 feet in diameter, and 25 feet in circumference.
Great Hall: 316 feet long x 116 feet wide x 159 feet high. When completed, this was the largest brick building in the world. Meigs was eager to best his inspiration for the space: Rome's impressive Baths of Diocletian (298-306). The columns remain among the world's tallest.
Commemoration of the Civil War:
To honor the Army and Navy pensioners the building would serve, Meigs developed a decorative program that focused on the military. The exterior frieze, while inspired by the Parthenon's (447-432 BC), honors the Union soldiers of the Civil War. And at the cornice -- otherwise a direct copy of Michelangelo's Renaissance design at the Palazzo Farnese in Rome (1550s) -- Meigs substituted bursting bombs and upright cannons for the fleurs-de-lis and acanthus leaves.
Innovative Design:
Meigs harnessed his extensive engineering experience to create an inviting and healthful work place with:
* Abundant natural light
* Freely circulating fresh air (the passive system was replaced by modern HVAC)
* Easily negotiable stairs initially designed for disabled veterans
* Document tracks to move massive amounts of files around the building (no longer operational). |