CONSTITUTION GARDENS ON THE PWP LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | ROGERS PARTNERS National Capital Planning Commission 2 October 2014

CONSTITUTION GARDENS, THE NATIONAL MALL, WASHINGTON D.C.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

• 1810-1828 Construction of Canals

• 1837 Lockkeeper’s House is constructed

• 1901 McMillan Plan and updates identify the Constitution Gardens site as a naturalistic park area composed in a manner fit for passive recreation

• 1915 Lockkeeper’s House relocated to current location

• 1918 Navy Munitions buildings constructed on Constitution Gardens site. Demolished in 1970. 1865

1970 • Military buildings were demolished on site and SOM develops plans for Constitution Gardens

• 1976 Constitution Gardens is dedicated for the Bicentennial of the

• 1984 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial dedicated

• 2010 The National Mall Plan identifies Constitution Gardens for Respectful Rehabilitation

• 2012 The Trust For the National Mall manages a Design Competition for the 1938 Constitution Gardens site and two other sites on the National Mall

SITE HISTORY SKIDMORE OWINGS AND MERRILL DESIGN – A MODERN GARDEN Water Quality Improvements and use of alternate water sources

Regrade site to better horticultural conditions and to create a quiet restful garden

Diversify Plant Community

Locate Pavilion to the West to retain walk to the WWII Memorial

Enhanced circulation to respond to additional memorials and changed use patterns

RESPECTFUL REHABILITATION ALTERNATIVE 1 – THE SUSTAINABLE GARDEN

KEY COMPONENTS • Pavilion with limited basement area • 30” Garden Wall and amplified hills • Service access to Pavilion on Garden paths • Lockkeeper’s House with expanded basement area and egress stair located at East end of Garden • 17,000 sf Ice Rink inset in the Lake Ring • Wetland Edge within Lake • Meadow ground plane with varied tree planting

ALTERNATIVE 1 ALTERNATIVE 2 – THE SOCIAL PARK

KEY COMPONENTS • Pavilion with large basement area • 18” Garden seat wall and amplified hills • Below grade Pavilion Service Access • Lockkeeper’s House with walkout basement located near Tour Bus Drop Off • 57,000 sf Ice Rink fills the Lake Ring • Existing Concession Stand retained for adaptive reuse • No Wetland edge in the Lake • Entirely lawn ground plane with limited tree planting

ALTERNATIVE 2 COMBINES THE BEST ATTRIBUTES OF THE ALTERNATIVES STUDIED

KEY COMPONENTS • Pavilion with large basement area • Pavilion with below grade access to loading dock • 18” Garden Wall and amplified hills • Lockkeeper’s House with basement area for storage and mechanical at East end of Garden • 17,000 sf Ice Rink inset in Lake Ring • Wetland Edge within Lake • A Combination of Lawns and Meadow

THE HYBRID ALTERNATIVE – INTEGRATED AND SUSTAINABLE RELOCATED

ENLARGED PLAN: PAVILION AND LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE

LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE AND 17TH STREET ELEVATION, LOOKING WEST

THE HYBRID ALTERNATIVE Below Grade Service Access SECONDARY WALKS ENTRY WALKS 15’ 10’ AVERAGE Dual Entries Tour Bus Stop

REVISED VVME PRIMARY WALKS CIRCULATION 20’ AVERAGE

PAVING TO BE REMOVED EXISTING WALK PROPOSED WALK

CIRCULATION CONCEPT LAKE WATER SOURCES • On-site storm water • Off-site storm water • Pavilion condensate

PAVILION WATER SOURCES • Municipal potable for drinking, fire protection • Treated wastewater for flush • Well water back up

IRRIGATION WATER SOURCES • Treated wastewater diverted from municipal combined sewer • Treated gray and black wastewater from Pavilion • Municipal water as tertiary back up only AN INTEGRATED APPROACH USES STORM AND WASTE WATER WASTE-WATER TREATMENT ON SITE WELL WATER BACK-UP MUNICIPAL WATER AS TERTIARY BACK UP ONLY

INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT Section Through Lake Ring

DECK

LAKE WINTER RING ICE RINK

LAKE RING TOPOGRAPHY KEY SITE LINES AND VIEWS • SUPPORTS KEY VIEWS • From the Vietnam Memorial to the Washington • CREATES A SINUOUS PARK LANDSCAPE Monument • USES SITE SPOILS TO MAKE THE GARDEN • The axis to the WWII Memorial from Constitution Ave • CREATES OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PLANT GROWTH. • The Virginia Avenue Corridor • Views into the Garden and of the Lake • Views out of the Garden • View to the Northeast Corner

IDENTIFIED VIEWS AND TOPOGRAPHY STACKED STONE WALL 18” TALL

TYPICAL EXISTING GRADE

18” GARDEN WALL

ENLARGED ELEVATION AT 17TH STREET ENLARGED ELEVATION AT 20TH STREET

CONSTITUTION AVENUE AT 17TH LOOKING SOUTH

CONSTITUTION AVENUE AT 19TH LOOKING SOUTH 80’ WIDE DUAL ENTRY

200’ ROLLING VALLEYS WITH HILLS LESS THAN 4’ TALL

ENLARGED ELEVATION VIEWS VIEW INTO GARDEN ALONG CONSTITUTION AVENUE AXIS TO WWII MEMORIAL FROM CONSTITUTION AVE

VIEWS AND VISTAS 17TH STREET INTERSECTION AT CONSTITUTION AVENUE EVENT PLAZA VIEW LOOKING WEST TO PAVILION

1973 2016

THRESHOLD PAVILION SITED WEST – MAINTAINING VIEWS TO THE WWII MONUMENT THRESHOLD (LOOKING WEST) Music Ice Skating

Snack Bar/Restaurant Recreation and Retail

Events, Assembly and Potential Tent Observation

MULTI-PURPOSE PAVILION PAVILION CONCEPT RESTAURANT (LOOKING WEST) VIEW FROM LAKE LEVEL LOOKING WEST LOOKING EAST PHASE 1: PHASE 2: • LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE • PAVILION • ENTRY PLAZA • LAKE • GARDEN WALL AND LANDSCAPE • OVERALL GARDEN LANDSCAPE • TEMPORARY EVENT PLAZA • WALKS

OVERLAP ZONE PHASE 2 PHASE 1 Limit of Work

PHASING DIAGRAM ENTRANCE PLAZA

NEW CURB RADIUS NEW PATH 18” GARDEN WALL CONCRETE SIDEWALK AND CURB CUTS ASPHALT TO MATCH UNDER STUDY

EXISTING CURB

PAVING

TRANSPLANTED SPECIMEN TREE

RELOCATE LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE TURF PLANTING TO MATCH EXISTING

TURF PLANTING TO WOODS PLANTING TEMPORARY MATCH EXISTING WITH HERBACEOUS EVENT UNDERSTORY PLAZA

PHASE 1 PLAN EXISTING CURB ALIGNMENT

PROPOSED CURB ALIGNMENT UNDER STUDY

Existing Lockkeeper’s House Location Original Lockkeeper’s House Location

Paving to Match Existing Exposed Aggregate

Proposed Lockkeeper’s House Relocation

PROGRAM ENTRY PLAZA • INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR EXHIBITS • DONOR RECOGNTIION • EXTERIOR SPACE FOR GROUP EDUCATION

PHASE 1 – CONSTITUTION AVENUE AND 17TH STREET CONCEPT PLAN PHASE 1 CONSTITUTION AVENUE AND 17TH STREET -ELEVATION FIRST FLOOR PLAN – EXHIBITS,DONOR RECOGNITION

Exterior Space for Group Education

BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN – STORAGE AND MECHANICAL

PHASE 1 – LOCKKEEPER’S HOUSE RELOCATION AND RENOVATION VIEW INTO ENTRANCE PLAZA FROM CORNER OF CONSTITUTION AVE. & 17th STREET