For Immediate Release: April 21, 2010
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A Century of Design: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1910-2010 Press Release
The National Building Museum to open new exhibition and mark the occasion with a day-long symposium
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Walk through Georgetown, stroll along the National Mall, or simply ride the Metro and you will experience the influence of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). Established 100 years ago, the CFA advises the President and Congress on the design of the National Capital and our national symbols. On May 15th, the National Building Museum will open the exhibition A Century of Design: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1910-2010 which explores how this design-focused federal agency has shaped the city, from memorials that commemorate our history and define our national identity to the public parks and projects that enhance the city and help make it a desirable place to live, work, and play. To open the exhibition and mark the CFA’s centennial, the Museum, in conjunction with CFA, is hosting a free, day-long symposium delving into pivotal issues in the Commission’s history.
On display from May 15 through July 18, 2010, A Century of Design: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1910-2010 reviews the influential role the CFA played in the development and creation of 10 major projects in Washington—the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, the World War II Memorial, Federal Triangle, the Metrorail System, Meridian Hill Park, Freedom Plaza and Pershing Park, Lafayette Square, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals—and provides insight into how the Commission functions. Organized into four main sections, the exhibition opens with an overview of the Commission—its beginnings, history, and purpose. Each section in the exhibition highlights a specific sphere of the CFA’s influence—Commemorative Works, Public Projects, Public Parks, and Historic Integrity.
The first section “Commemorative Works” explores how the CFA guided the comprehensive reinvention of the National Mall envisioned by the 1901 Senate Park Commission—often called the “McMillan Commission.” The CFA’s recommendations regarding that space and the memorials built there have not been without controversy. While the appropriate design language for the architecture of commemoration has continued to evolve, the CFA has been steadfastly committed to the spirit of the Mall plan.
The exhibition then moves into the section, “Public Projects,” which looks at the CFA’s impact on building design beyond the Mall. The CFA’s original mandate was expanded to include all public projects in the city as well as private buildings in certain areas of the District. With both the Federal Triangle and Metrorail, the CFA successfully advocated for a unified design concept appropriate in dignity and significance for the nation’s capital.
The next section, “Public Parks,” identifies how the CFA has used the placement of parks and public squares to support larger urban design goals. For example, the CFA understood the importance of 16th Street as the northern extension of the Mall’s cross-axis and helped convince Congress to buy a sloping 12-acre site along the thoroughfare in 1912 for use as a park. The CFA remained involved with the design of Meridian Hill Park for 25 years, ensuring views of the White House and the Washington Monument from an Italian Baroque-inspired landscape.
The final section, “Historic Integrity,” addresses the balance the CFA has had to strike between preservation and change in the nation’s capital. Lafayette Square, for example, would be among the first large-scale redevelopment projects in the nation to successfully modify historic buildings and integrate them with new construction. Today, old and new sit comfortably side by side across Washington, D.C.
On May 19, 2010 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm the National Building Museum will co-host Power, Architecture, and Politics: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Design of Washington, a day-long symposium that further explores themes related to the exhibition. The symposium will address pivotal issues in the Commission’s history which resonate to the present: classicism versus modernism; history and authenticity; commemoration and politics. Presenters will study the contributions of CFA members who shaped the look of the nation’s capital—such as Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., Gordon Bunshaft, and J. Carter Brown—as well as the interaction between the Commission and the Presidency in addressing design within a political context. From 12:30-1:30 pm, the symposium will feature the 2010 Charles Atherton Memorial Lecture presented by noted architect Daniel Libeskind. Libeskind, designer of the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the proposed World Trade Center Memory Gardens, will present a keynote address on symbolism and the architectural expression of commemoration. The symposium is free and pre-registration is required. There is a charge for the Charles Atherton Memorial Lecture.
Below are details on the symposium and the Charles Atherton Memorial Lecture:
Welcome and Opening Remarks:
Chase Rynd, President and Executive Director, National Building Museum
Earl A. Powell III, Chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
Session 1:
The Enduring Design Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., in the Nation’s Capital
Arleyn Levee, Landscape Historian and Preservation Consultant
Session 2:
The Improvement of Washington City: Charles Moore and the Monumental Core
Pamela Scott, Architectural Historian
Session 3:
Fiske Kimball and the Jefferson Memorial: A Pyrrhic Victory for American Architecture
Carroll William Westfall, Frank Montana Professor and Chairman, School of Architecture, University of Notre Dame
Session 4:
The Personal Influence of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman on Washington Design
William B. Bushong, White House Historical Association
Session 5:
"Rather Strong Advisory:" The 1960s and the Challenge of the FBI Building
Zachary Schrag, Associate Professor of History, George Mason University
Session 6:
The Vicissitudes of Postmodernism: J. Carter Brown and the CFA 1971-2002
Richard Guy Wilson, Commonwealth Professor's Chair in Architectural History, University of Virginia
Charles Atherton Memorial Lecture featuring Daniel Libeskind
$12 Member | Free Student | $20 Non-member. Prepaid registration required. Walk-in registration based on availability.
To register for the free symposium and to purchase tickets for the Atherton Memorial Lecture visit www.nbm.org.
A Century of Design: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1910-2010 is made possible by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in celebration of its centennial.
Power, Architecture, and Politics: The Design of Washington and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts is co-presented by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Building Museum.
The Charles H. Atherton Memorial Lecture is supported by generous contributions to the Charles H. Atherton Memorial Fund.
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.
