CONSTITUTION GARDENS ON THE NATIONAL MALL 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 American Revolution
• 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 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