PROJECT Museum of the Bible
LOCATION Washington, District of Columbia US
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 11/17/2017
ARCHITECT SmithGroup
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT
OWNER/CLIENT Museum of the Bible
CONTRACTOR / CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Clark Construction Group, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHER Alan Karchmer, and Alex Fradkin Photography
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM David Greenbaum, FAIA; Sarah Ghorbanian, Assoc. AIA; Bill Jones, AIA; Marcus Wilkes, AIA; Bettina Neudert Brown; Sue Sie Lim; Cheryl Brown
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
When the Museum of the Bible opened on November 17, 2017, its strategic location at the cultural axis along 4th Street connected the National Mall and major cultural landmarks to Southwest Washington, further invigorating the urban revival of a fascinating, historic, and rapidly transforming part of the city.
Museum of the Bible is noteworthy for its architectural programming, representing a new model for contemporary museums. Whereas traditional museums typically consist of exhibition galleries, spaces for lectures and educational activities, shops, and perhaps a café, Museum of the Bible was conceived, programmed, and designed to be more ambitious and flexible. Given the breadth of such functions, Museum of the Bible may be regarded not so much as a singular museum but as a one-building campus of interrelated facilities.
Museum of the Bible is the premier museum dedicated to one of the world’s oldest texts. The new eight-level, 430,000 sf museum is housed in an adapted historic 1922 refrigerated warehouse in Southwest Washington, DC. It is resolutely modern, incorporating striking architectural forms and cutting-edge technologies. The finished project is a built equivalent of a manuscript that bears traces of several versions of text added and erased over time.
The building avoids the easy, literal symbolism that is often associated with biblical representation, in favor of rich but subtle allusions. The result is a work of architecture that is simultaneously timeless and of-the-moment, universal and place-specific. It reflects a concerted effort allowing for, and encouraging, a multiplicity of views, interpretations, and experiences.
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project/Jury PDF
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1 Bold asymmetry of the sculpted rooftop addition plays off the subtler asymmetry of the existing structure – requiring several innovative design and construction solutions. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 2 Surrounding the entry, a significant art installation consisting of a triptych composition of grand 40-foot milled brass panels stands as a beacon to welcome visitors into the museum. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 3 The internal train loading bay was recast as a main lobby arcade, incorporating a programmable LED display running the length of the ceiling, suggesting the nave of a Gothic or Renaissance church. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 4 The atrium is a vertical hub-and-spoke, organizing the floors and allowing visitors to create their own path, with each museum space offering unique stand-alone experiences. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 5 One of twelve theatres in the museum, the immersive World Stage Theater is a highly sculptural tabernacle, incorporating sophisticated audiovisual technology. A comprehensive video system comprising 17 carefully calibrated projectors will allow the theater to be transformed into a series of programmable virtual environments. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 6 Museum of the Bible is in fact a “museum of museums” – featuring six galleries and three collections in architecturally designed spaces specifically for the Vatican Library and Israeli Antiquities Authority. © Alan Karchmer
IMAGE 7 The striking rooftop addition over the original building, with its curvilinear glass-and-metal envelope, visible structural ribs, and dramatic prow projecting over the entry façade, evokes an ancient boat (or perhaps an ark) floating above the city. © Alex Fradkin
IMAGE 8 The design of the museum brings a new architectural landmark to a developing neighborhood of Washington, DC – a core cultural component and boost to the rebirth of Southwest Washington. © Alan Karchmer
Museum of the Bible
Category
Local > AIA Potomac Valley > Institutional Architecture (AIA Potomac Valley)
Winner Status
- Gold/Honor Award
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