Washington, DC – Students from public schools around the District this evening will unveil their proposed designs for future memorials in the nation’s capital. The project is part of the National Building Museum’s semiannual youth outreach program known as CityVision, a three-month design course that encourages local students to develop an understanding of the built environment.

This year the Building Museum collaborated with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the central planning agency for the federal government which oversees the design and location of memorials in the nation’s capital.

Youth from Browne Junior High School, MacFarland Middle School, and Paul Public Charter School will present their final concepts to a panel of professionals beginning at 6:00 p.m. tonight at the museum. NCPC staff joined with museum architects, educators, and urban design professionals to teach the students basic design skills, critical and creative thinking, negotiation, communication, and leadership skills.

“The CityVision program teaches Washington, D.C. public school students how to initiate change and promote change in their communities,” said Chase Rynd, executive director of the National Building Museum. “Through the design process, students develop problem-solving, teamwork, and advocacy skills.”

NCPC recommended the three sites the students studied—Banneker Overlook, RFK Stadium site, and East Potomac Park—which are part of the agency’s current analysis for its National Capital Framework Plan. The plan, which is a joint effort with the Commission of Fine Arts that is scheduled for release in fall 2007, will include suggested locations for new national destinations to help relieve pressure on the National Mall while enhancing other parts of the nation’s capital.

“CityVision is an investment in the city’s future that fits well with our planning efforts,” said Marcel Acosta, NCPC’s deputy executive director. “The work you see here tonight is not just an abstract exercise—it reflects a bigger, national-level discussion that is unfolding right now about commemorative works and the future of our National Mall.”

The students assigned to the Benjamin Banneker memorial located on 10^th Street, SW, focused on creating a more park-like setting with improved visitor amenities. Those working on East Potomac Park took an urban design approach, addressing the site’s challenges such as frequent flooding, deteriorating pathways, and the need for improved lighting. At the RFK stadium site, students created a memorial to commemorate the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of victims were provided shelter in the DC Armory near the stadium in the wake of the deadly storm.

CityVision takes place during the fall and spring of each academic year. Up to twelve students are selected from each participating school to attend the program. They meet for a full day, once per week for 14 weeks. The program culminates in a final public presentation at the Building Museum in which team members present their work to a panel of professionals. This year’s program will continue during the spring semester with a new group of students who will develop designs for future museums in the nation’s capital.

###

The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government’s central planning agency in the District of Columbia and surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides overall planning guidance for federal land and buildings in the region. It also reviews the design of federal projects and memorials, oversees long-range planning for future development, and monitors capital investment by federal agencies.

The National Building Museum is America’s premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and planning. Chartered by Congress in 1980 and open to the public since 1985, the Museum has become a vital forum for exchanging ideas and information about the built environment through its exhibitions, education programs, and publications.

The National Building Museum receives support for its CityVision program from the Freddie Mac Foundation, Mead Family Foundation, Bloomberg, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Additional support for outreach programs is provided to the museum by the Fannie Mae Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation, and The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, among others.

Back to List