For Immediate Release: July 15, 2011
Media Contact: Marketing and Communication Department
Media Advisory: Unbuilt Washington
Exhibition to Reveal the Capital City That Could Have Been
WHAT
The National Building Museum’s upcoming exhibition Unbuilt Washington explores the many serious—and sometimes not-so-serious—proposals that would have dramatically altered the architectural character of the capital. Imagine the Lincoln Memorial as a stepped pyramid. Or the Capitol as a modest, red-brick structure with a small cupola instead of its impressive dome. Or a replacement for the White House designed in an opulent style reminiscent of the Palace at Versailles and perched atop one of the highest points in Washington, D.C. These and other unrealized designs from 1791 to the present will challenge common assumptions about the appearance of the city and some of its most prominent buildings.
The physical character of Washington, D.C. that we take for granted today is the unique result of a complex matrix of decisions, debates, successes, failures, missed opportunities, and lucky breaks. Unbuilt Washington will reveal the Washington that could have been—or rather, the myriad versions of Washington that could have been—by presenting architectural and urban design projects that were proposed but, for widely varied reasons, never executed. Such projects often exercised a profound influence on what was built and may offer lessons that inform ongoing debates about the design and development of Washington and other cities. What were the motives, assumptions, and cultural trends underlying such proposals? Why were these designs never realized? What was their impact on projects that were completed?
CURATOR
G. Martin Moeller, senior vice president and curator
WHEN
November 19, 2011 to May 28, 2012
WHERE
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(Judiciary Square Metro, Red Line)
MEDIA CONTACT
Carol Abrams, cabrams@nbm.org, 202.272.2448, ext. 3402
PRESS PREVIEW: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 / 5:30 pm
RSVP: Stacy Adamson, sadamson@nbm.org, 202.272.2448, ext. 3458
PARTNERS
The Museum is collaborating with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the AIA Foundation, the Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|DC), the Washington Architectural Foundation, and Hanley Wood to organize two complementary exhibitions in conjunction with Unbuilt Washington. One of these will trace the history of the Progressive Architecture Awards for unbuilt work, and will be presented at the AIA National Headquarters, opening in conjunction with the 2012 AIA National Convention, to be held in Washington. The other exhibition will present winners in the Unbuilt Awards program sponsored by AIA|DC and will open in May 2012 at the new District Architecture Center.
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
