Fifty years after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in Washington, D.C., construction work on a 65,000-sf expansion to the facility began.
Designed by Steven Holl and BNIM, the project is being funded privately, and will be located south of the current facility. Functioning as an interactive space where artists and the community can come together, it will include spaces for rehearsal and education, as well as multi-use indoor and outdoor areas.
The building is meant to fuse the Potomac River and the landscape, the architects said. A grove made up of 35 ginkgo trees will remind visitors that Kennedy was America's 35th president, and an infinity pool will give visitors a direct sightline to Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Of the connection between the local landscape and the expansion, Steven Holl said in a statement: "The varied gardens will provide opportunities for casual performances and events and other flexible locations for enhanced engagement. The Kennedy Center’s connection to the Potomac River will finally be achieved, more than 50 years after it was lost in Edward Durell Stone’s initial design, allowing easy access to and from the Rock Creek Trail and the Georgetown waterfront."
The expansion is slated for completion on May 29, 2017, which would have been Kennedy's 100th birthday.
Related Stories
Cultural Facilities | Sep 24, 2015
Bakpak Architects' 'pottery courtyard' concept in Poland incorporates local heritage
The multifunctional building proposed for Rzeszow, Poland, looks like it was handcrafted on a potter’s wheel.
Museums | Sep 22, 2015
David Adjaye releases plans for Ruby City art gallery in San Antonio
San Antonio's Ruby City will hold 800 works of art in 10,000 sf of exhibition space.
Casinos | Sep 22, 2015
Sovereign territory ruling allows for Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's $500 million casino
The Massachusetts-based tribe has plans for a 150,000-sf casino and 600-room hotel, along with a waterpark and event center.
Libraries | Aug 27, 2015
Barack Obama Foundation begins search for presidential library architect
Both national and foreign firms will compete for chance to design the Chicago-based Presidential Center.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 19, 2015
Proposed “High Line” in Mexico City pays homage to Aztec aqueduct
Plans for Mexico City’s elevated park include an amphitheatre and al fresco cafés.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 5, 2015
Ultramoderne wins Chicago Architecture Biennial kiosk design competition
Dubbed Chicago Horizon, the 3,200-sf structure will feature a chin-height rooftop viewing platform that will offer visitors unimpeded views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 4, 2015
London set to have world’s tallest and longest slide
The city of London recently approved a proposal to add a slide to the Anish Kapoor- and Cecil Balmond-designed ArcelorMittal Orbit.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 3, 2015
Funding needed for Washington's Desert Storm memorial
The National Desert Storm Memorial Foundation has a $25 million goal for the project.
Transit Facilities | Jul 30, 2015
Snøhetta designs ring-shaped cable car station in Italian Alps
In Snøhetta’s design, two cylindrical rings embedded into the existing topography, each at different elevations, will be connected by a cable car. During the minute-long cable car journey, passengers can enjoy views of the city and of the Italian Alps.
Museums | Jul 28, 2015
MUST SEE: Zaha Hadid's latest museum project is built into a mountain
The museum, dedicated to legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner, is embedded within Mount Kronplatz in northern Italy.