2023 Professional Awards
of the Potomac Chapter ASLA

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Tidal Basin Ideas Lab:
3 Scenarios for Washington DC’s Tidal Basin

James Corner Field Operations

Created as a platform for the exchange of ideas between designers, stakeholders, and the public, the Tidal Basin Ideas Lab serves as a critical first step in a multi-phase process that precedes the future design for the Tidal Basin. Three scenarios imagine unique approaches to preservation and memory.

Honor Award in Design-Unbuilt

 
“Curate Entropy” embraces the inevitability of decline and decay through a process of naturalization.



“Island Archipelago” allows the Potomac to flood the Tidal Basin and creates a new series of protective gardens around the monuments.



“Protect & Preserve” proposes a large earthwork ribbon with new walks along the river, fully protecting the Tidal Basin, monuments, and cherry trees while creating more parkland and opportunities for amenities and recreation.

Without typical design constraints, the proposals put forward unexpected and provocative ideas that challenge conventional thinking and redefine the scope and potential for change.



Contributors
Client Partners: National Trust for Historic Preservation,
Trust for the National Mall, National Park Service
Presenting Partner: American Express
Civic Partner: SOM


Photo Credit

Photos courtesy of James Corner Field Operations


Congratulations to James Corner Field Operations.

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