Working closely with the Smithsonian Institute and BIG, Surfacedesign conceived a master plan for the gardens surrounding the South Mall Campus of the Smithsonian that reinterprets the outdoor public spaces surrounding the campus. In order to soften the juxtaposition between the old and the new and to preserve a national treasure while addressing the strict building regulations on the National Mall, Surfacedesign chose to carefully reinterpret garden elements already present on the campus. The proposed master plan will be implemented over a 10-to-20–year period that began in 2016.

The landscape proposal has two primary goals: to improve and expand visitor wayfinding and to create clear entrances and connections between the museums and gardens. The centerpiece of the proposed South Mall Master Plan is a revitalization of the historic Enid Haupt Garden with the addition of a green roof, reimagined as a Victorian garden and installed on top of the galleries. Surfacedesign worked closely with Smithsonian curators and historians to ensure that the interpretive effort was done with sensitivity and that it accommodated the museum’s outdoor sculpture program. The landscape proposal also includes expanded visitor assembly spaces, refined outdoor classrooms and event spaces, historic rose garden restoration, and improved wayfinding and access from the Mall.

Location: Washington, DC

Status: Masterplan 2014

Project Type: Masterplan, Campus, Museum

Client: Smithsonian Institute

Collaborators: Bjarke Ingels Group, Atelier Ten

Imagery: Courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group

Awards:

• American Society of College and University Planning Award, 2015

• AIA New York Design Award, 2015