Bastions of Culture

A Museum and a Library Renovation Exemplify Precision

Featured Projects

National Museum of the United States Army by SOM
Folger Shakespeare Library by MTFA Design + Preservation

The National Museum of the United States Army is the first museum to tell the story of the oldest branch of the United States military

National Museum of the United States Army

Fort Belvoir, VA

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Grand Award
Chapter Design Award in Architecture

“We commend the proportions of the building and their massing. The combination of the light, materials, and color, all the themes were beautifully crafted, elevating what a museum can be. ” —Jury Comment

Designed to serve as a center of education, and as the Army’s symbolic front door, the museum walks visitors through every generation of the Army, focusing not on battles or wars, but on the individual soldier—a centuries-long narrative of honor, sacrifice, and valor. The main building holds exhibits and special events, and for the future of the site, the architect’s design and plan includes a quiet memorial garden, a parade field and grandstand, and an Army Trail with interpretive stations.

The museum is organized in five pavilions designed according to specific functions. On the first floor, the lobby, which can be transformed into a 460-seat banquet hall, is surrounded by retail, a cafe, the first of three landscaped terraces, exhibition spaces, and a 300-degree theater. Through an integrated, proactive approach toward sustainability, the project minimizes the use of energy and water, creates healthy spaces for visitors and employees, and engages actively with the outdoor environment.

The façade is composed of a regular grid of laser-cut, stainless steel panels

The museum leverages the site’s natural topography—resting atop a plateau to evoke a sense of monumentality

Glass thresholds with wood fins signal transitions between spaces, and offer views of the bucolic surroundings from inside

The Medal of Honor Garden, inspired by the medal’s three core character traits of intrepidity, gallantry, and valor, is a space for ceremonial events

Lobby with a black granite wall listing every campaign in the Army’s history

Stainless steel pylons sharing stories by soldiers lead visitors from the promenade, through the vestibule, and into the exhibition hall

Project Credits Landscape Architect: AECOM
Lighting Designer: Brandston Partnership Inc.
Exhibition Design and Installation: Eisterhold Associates; Christopher Chadbourne & Associates; The Scenic Route, Inc.
Exhibition Installation: Design and Production Incorporated
Structural Engineer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
MEP/FP Engineers: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Southland Industries; M.C. Dean
Civil Engineer: Draper Aden Associates
Telecom, Security, and AV Consultant: Shen Milsom & Wilke
Wayfinding Consultant: Crystal McKenzie, Inc.
Food Service Consultant: Hopkins Foodservice
Vertical Transportation Consultant: Van Deusen & Associates
Protective Design and Security: Thornton Tomasetti
Road and Infrastructure Improvements: Shirley Contracting Company, LLC
General Contractor: Clark Construction Group
Photographer: © SOM David Burk

Text adapted from architect’s project submission

West Elevation

Folger Shakespeare Library

Washington, DC

MTFA Design + Preservation
Chapter Design Award in Historic Resources & Preservation

“Preserving heritage is not easy, and this restoration brought the old building back just as handsomely as when it was dedicated.” —Jury Comment

Completed in 1932 by architect Paul Philippe Cret, the Folger Shakespeare Library expresses a stripped classicism on the exterior to blend with the adjacent classical buildings of the U.S. Capitol Complex. The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, required exterior rehabilitation—condition assessments, construction documents and construction administration were completed in order to conserve the integrity of the original façade.

With a goal of gentle, yet effective and efficient treatments, the architects discovered a unique protocol of misting, microabrasive cleaning, and poulticing allowing deepcleaning without damaging the stone. None of these systems worked alone; an accurate sequence was required in order to lift the stain. Additionally, they used sounding and a pachometer to locate incipient spalls at corroding shelf angles.

Close-up view of the restored North Elevation

The marble entablature is being pretreated with misting

A conservator tests and applies solutions

North Elevation looking toward the U.S. Capitol at dusk

Project Credits
Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates
General Contractor: Dan Lepore & Sons Company
Photographer: © Prakash Patel

Text adapted from architect’s project submission

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