National Museum of African American History and Culture - Siting and Design Competition

Siting and Design Competition

On February 9, 2005, with the site committee still deliberating, President Bush again endorsed placing the museum on the National Mall.

The committee did not select a site until January 31, 2006 — a full 13 months late. The site chosen was just west of the National Museum of American History. The site was part of the Washington Monument grounds, but had been listed as the site of a major building in the L'Enfant Plan of 1791 and the McMillan Plan of 1902. The United States Department of State originally planned to build its headquarters there in the early 20th century, and the National World War II Memorial was considered for the parcel in 1995.

On March 15, 2005, the Smithsonian named Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III to be the Director of the National African American Museum of History and Culture.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture Council (as the museum's board of directors is known) sponsored a design competition in 2008. The winning architect or firm would build the museum. The competition required a 350,000 square-foot building, with three stories below ground and five stories above ground. The building was limited to the five-acre site west chosen by the presidential site selection committee, must be LEED Gold certified, and meet stringent security standards. The cost was limited to $500 million. The winning design had to respect the history and visage of the Washington Monument as well as demonstrate an understanding of the African American experience. It should reflect optimism, spirituality, and joy, but also acknowledge and incorporate "the dark corners" of that experience. It must, most of all, function as a museum, but it must also be able to host cultural events of various kinds. Hundreds of architects and firms were invited to participate in the design competition. Six firms were chosen as finalists:

• Devrouax+Purnell and Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro, with KlingStubbins
• Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates, and Davis Brody Bond
• Foster and Partners/URS Corporation
• Moody Nolan, with Antoine Predock
• Moshe Safdie and Associates, with Sulton Campbell Britt & Associates

The design submitted by the Freelon Group/Adjaye Associates/Davis Brody Bond won the design competition. The upper floors feature a crown motif from Yoruban sculpture.

Under federal law, the National Capital Planning Commission, the United States Commission of Fine Arts, and the D.C. Historic Preservation Commission all have review and approval rights over any construction in the metropolitan D.C. area. As the design went through these agencies for approval, it was slightly revised. The building was moved toward the southern boundary of its plot of land, to give a better view of the Washington Monument from Constitution Avenue. The size of the upper floors were shrunk by 17 percent. Although three upper floors were permitted (instead of just two), the ceiling height of each floor was lowered so that the overall height of the building was lessened. The large, box-like first floor was largely eliminated. Added to the entrance on Constitution Avenue is a pond, garden, and bridge. Visitors will have to "cross over the water" — just like slaves did when they came to America.

The museum's groundbreaking ceremony took place on February 22, 2012. United States President Barack Obama and museum director Bunch were among the speakers at the ceremony. Actress Phylicia Rashād was the Master of Ceremonies for the event, which also featured poetry and music by Denyce Graves, Thomas Hampson and the Heritage Signature Chorale.

The museum is scheduled to open in 2015. Until then, the museum will occupy a gallery located on the second floor of the National Museum of American History.