Blueprints Archives

Blueprints is the Museum's magazine featuring includes in-depth articles exploring various issues related to current exhibitions and programs at the Museum. Arranged thematically, each issue offers a deeper insight into the Museum’s mission and the built environment.  

The Lay of the Landscape Winter / Spring 2008-09 In an interview, landscape architect Len Hopper discusses his profession's inherent commitment to sustainability and growing involvement in large-scale planning efforts. Read.

Healthy Communities, Green Communities Winter / Spring 2008-09 Howie Frumkin, a physician and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explores the importance of planning communities that are healthy and sustainable. Read.

Words, Words, Words Winter / Spring 2008-09 Paul Farmer, executive director and CEO of the American Planning Association, relects on the value of various sustainable planning initiatives. Read.

Toward A National Academy of Environmental Design Fall 2008 Michael Monti, the executive director of ACSA, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, discusses the efforts of a coalition of architecture and design organizations to establish a new National Academy. Read.

Bridge Basics Goes National Fall 2008 The Museum launches the Bridge Basics Program Kit in Philadelphia, PA. Read.

Design High Fall 2008 Profile of two well-established architecture and design high schools and the broad lessons they may offer to other schools considering design-based curricula. Read.

A Lens On Design Fall 2008 A behind-the-scenes look at the popular Investigating Where We Live program, in which teens use photography to analyze and critique their surroundings. Read.

Museum Design Apprenticeship Program Honored by Peers Fall 2008 Design Apprenticeship Program receives a 2008 Excellence in Programming Award from the American Association of Museums. Read.

D.C. Government Supports Education Programming Fall 2008 D.C. Government support pilot program to bring Museum's popular school programs into local D.C. classrooms. Read.

Selling Modernism Spring / Summer 2008 Americans are famously conservative in their domestic tastes, but this interview with three real estate brokers from Chicago, Los Angeles and the San Francisco area reveals an enthusiastic subculture of homebuyers eager to go modern. Read.

Bachelor Modern: Mid-Century Style in American Film Spring / Summer 2008 A look at how Hollywood helped define popular perceptions of modern design during the post-World War II period. Read.

The New Face of Preservation Winter 2007-08 Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and recipient of the ninth Vincent Scully Prize, reflects on the evolution of the American preservation movement. Read.

Silo Point Winter 2007-08 A seemingly obsolete industrial facility finds a new career as hip urban housing. Read.

Renewing Urban Renewal Winter 2007-08 In Southwest Washington D.C., an icon of the "urban renewal" revolution in the 1950s and '60s is now undergoing a transformation of its own. Read.

Eero Saarinen: Shaping Community Winter 2007-08 Saarinen may be best remembered for iconic, singular structures such as the Gateway Arch, but one of his most important legacies is his unorthodox approach to the design of educational and corporate campuses. Read.

Federal Modern Winter 2007-08 The nation's biggest landlord celebrates the jewels in its portfolio while freshening up the ugly ducklings. Read.

Contemporary Architectural Practice in Africa Fall 2007 Mashabane Rose Associates, an innovative firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa serves as a case study of architectural practice in modern-day Africa. Read.

Community Crusader Fall 2007 Reverend Motley shares advice and tips with IWWL participants. Read.

African Threads in the American Fabric Fall 2007 Architect and architectural historian Richard K. Dozier, Ph.D., discusses the influence of African building traditions on American architecture. Read.

Gift of the Robert C. Lautman Photography Collection Fall 2007 The archives of the architectural photographer Robert Lautman become part of the National Building Museum's collection. Read.

The Tell-Tale Drawing Summer 2007 Architect and scholar Marco Frascari discusses the sometimes hidden meanings of drawings and what they reveal about those who drew them. Read.

The Art of Drawing Architecture Summer 2007 In an interview with guest curator Kathleen Franz, David Macaulay talks about the accidential genesis of his fabled career as an architectural illustrator and explains the process behind his popular books. Read.

Schools and the Language of Design Spring 2007 Many longstanding notions about school architecture are now as archaic as the slide rule. School design consultant (and former Museum volunteer) Christian Long discusses fresh ideas for creating effective learning environments. Read.

Toy Story Spring 2007 No matter what age you are, you will surely find something delightful among the several thousand architectural toys that the Museum recently added to its collection. An interview with collector George Wetzel reveals fascinating details from the history of such toys. Read.

St. Coletta School Spring 2007 Architect Michael Graves and his colleague Bob Miller discuss the challenge of designing a school for children and adults with mental retardation and autism. Read.

Lessons from the Study of Historic Theater Architecture Winter 2006-07 Why is it that some theater spaces seem to bring out the very best from relatively mundane productions, while others can deaden even the most spirited performances? Theater historian Franklin J. Hildy seeks answers from the past, with an emphasis on the Elizabethan era. Read.

Shakespearean Theater: It's Not What You Think Winter 2006-07 Michael Kahn, artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, explains why he had no interest in replicating the famous Globe Theatre when commissioning the new Sidney Harman Hall. Read.

Architecture & Dance: Intersections & Collaboration Winter 2006-07 Architect and dance enthusiast Frances Bronet talks about her work on performance projects and teaching strategies that bring together these two disciplines. Read.

An Actor's Perspective on Theater Design Winter 2006-07 Holly Twyford, winner of three Helen Hayes Awards as outstanding lead or supporting actress in Washington-area-plays, discusses how the design of theaters and sets influences dramatic performance. Read.

Lessons in Arcology Fall 2006 Interview with Italian-born architect Paolo Soleri renowned for his philosophy called “arcology,” which proposes that extremely compact communities offer great environmental and social advantages. Read.

The Art of Building Lightly Fall 2006 In an interview, "paper architect," Shigeru Ban shares his views on green design, post-disaster construction, and the architectural culture of his native Japan. Read.

All That Glitters Isn't Green Fall 2006 Dr. Martin and Mr. Foss of PATH Partners share their insights on evolution and future of the green building movement. Read.

The Pope-Leighey House Summer 2006 Loren Pope recounts the story of how Frank Lloyd Wright came to design his famous home in Virignia and the details of its design and construction. Read.

No Ordinary Clients Summer 2006 An in-depth look at a home situated on the Potomac River, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the highly accomplished couple, Luis and Ethel Marden. Read.

The Marden House Summer 2006 James Kimsey, a co-founder of America Online and current owner of the Marden House, shares his views on Frank Lloyd Wright, the story of how he came to acquire the well-known property, and the importance of its preservation. Read.