Washington, DC National Museum of American Art, National Portrait Gallery, Archives of American Art
Planning and ReorganizationThe Smithsonian Institution retained EVJA to assist them with an evaluation of the historic General Post Office Building to assess its suitability for renovation to alleviate the pressing space needs of the National Museum of American Art, National Portrait Gallery, and Archives of American Art, all of which are housed in the adjacent Patent Office Building.
The conceptual plan for the General Post Office Building included 10,000 sq.ft. of exhibitions and loan shows, a 300-seat auditorium with related video work areas, several classrooms, and a new museum store. An essential element of the plan was the central courtyard, which was raised to the level of the first floor of the building and covered with a glass canopy.
The public areas of the Patent Office Building were planned to include 100,000 sq.ft. of exhibition galleries, a lecture hall, some classrooms, public dinning, and a museum store. The plan also incorporated extensive shared support areas and an underground pedestrian tunnel.
