Blueprints Archives
Blueprints is now out of print. The Museum's magazine featured in-depth articles exploring various issues related to exhibitions and programs at the Museum. Arranged thematically, each issue offered a deeper insight into the Museum’s mission and the built environment.
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The Lay of the LandscapeWinter / 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. |
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Healthy Communities, Green CommunitiesWinter / 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. |
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Words, Words, WordsWinter / Spring 2008-09 Paul Farmer, executive director and CEO of the American Planning Association, relects on the value of various sustainable planning initiatives. |
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Museum Design Apprenticeship Program Honored by PeersFall 2008 Design Apprenticeship Program receives a 2008 Excellence in Programming Award from the American Association of Museums. |
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Design HighFall 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. |
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A Lens On DesignFall 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. |
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Bridge Basics Goes NationalFall 2008 The Museum launches the Bridge Basics Program Kit in Philadelphia, PA. |
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Toward A National Academy of Environmental DesignFall 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. |
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D.C. Government Supports Education ProgrammingFall 2008 D.C. Government support pilot program to bring Museum's popular school programs into local D.C. classrooms. |
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Selling ModernismSpring / 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. |
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Bachelor Modern: Mid-Century Style in American FilmSpring / Summer 2008 A look at how Hollywood helped define popular perceptions of modern design during the post-World War II period. |
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Eero Saarinen: Shaping CommunityWinter 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. |
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Federal ModernWinter 2007-08 The nation's biggest landlord celebrates the jewels in its portfolio while freshening up the ugly ducklings. |
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The New Face of PreservationWinter 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. |
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Renewing Urban RenewalWinter 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. |
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Silo PointWinter 2007-08 A seemingly obsolete industrial facility finds a new career as hip urban housing. |
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Contemporary Architectural Practice in AfricaFall 2007 Mashabane Rose Associates, an innovative firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa serves as a case study of architectural practice in modern-day Africa. |
Gift of the Robert C. Lautman Photography CollectionFall 2007 The archives of the architectural photographer Robert Lautman become part of the National Building Museum's collection. |
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African Threads in the American FabricFall 2007 Architect and architectural historian Richard K. Dozier, Ph.D., discusses the influence of African building traditions on American architecture. |
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Community CrusaderFall 2007 Reverend Motley shares advice and tips with IWWL participants. |
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The Tell-Tale DrawingSummer 2007 Architect and scholar Marco Frascari discusses the sometimes hidden meanings of drawings and what they reveal about those who drew them. |
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The Art of Drawing ArchitectureSummer 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. |
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Schools and the Language of DesignSpring 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. |
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Toy StorySpring 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. |
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St. Coletta SchoolSpring 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. |
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Lessons from the Study of Historic Theater ArchitectureWinter 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. |
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An Actor's Perspective on Theater DesignWinter 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. |
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Shakespearean Theater: It's Not What You ThinkWinter 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. |
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Architecture & Dance: Intersections & CollaborationWinter 2006-07 Architect and dance enthusiast Frances Bronet talks about her work on performance projects and teaching strategies that bring together these two disciplines. |
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All That Glitters Isn't GreenFall 2006 Dr. Martin and Mr. Foss of PATH Partners share their insights on evolution and future of the green building movement. |
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The Art of Building LightlyFall 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. |
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Lessons in ArcologyFall 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. |
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The Marden HouseSummer 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. |
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The Pope-Leighey HouseSummer 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. |
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No Ordinary ClientsSummer 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. |
