Finalists Announced for National Mall Design Competition

Michael Maltzan Architecture + Tom Leader Studio for Sylvan TheaterThe Trust for the National Mall has opened an exhibition showcasing the finalists in National Mall Design Competition. The competition, launched last September, asked designers to redesign areas near the Capitol, Washington Monument, and Constitution Gardens in the nation’s capital. According to an article by the Associated Press, the hope is to have one of the sites—either Constitution Gardens or the area near the Washington Monument—complete by 2016.

A jury recently picked four finalists for each of the three sites, paring down a field of 32 teams. Organizers will select a winner for each site in May, but are currently seeking public comment to help make their decisions. Among the distinguished finalists emerges a West Coast connection—including LA-based firm Michael Maltzan Architects and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the firm responsible for the Broad Art Foundation, which is coming soon next door to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Bustler has a complete list of finalists, including the design boards for each finalist.

The Trust for the National Mall must still meet the funding requirements for the lofty ambitions of the competition. According to the AP, “The nonprofit National Mall group aims to raise $350 million to help restore the mall, beginning with one of these sites. Former first lady Laura Bush joined the fundraising effort last year, and the group committed $875,000 to the design competition.”

Diller Scofidio Renfro + Hood Design for Sylvan Theater