The White House Visitor Center, in an effort led by the National Park Service and the White House Historical Association, reopened its doors after a two-year, $12 million renovation. For the project, the Washington, DC, office of SmithGroupJJR, provided architecture and engineering services, working closely with Gallagher & Associates for exhibit design.
The newly renovated Visitor Center shows the White House in all of its uses – office, stage, museum, park and home. The 16,000-square-foot space now offers a special and unique educational experience that complements a tour of the White House while also serving as a standalone experience.
The White House Visitor Center first opened in 1995 in historic Malcolm Baldrige Hall in the U.S. Department of Commerce building. The primary mission of the facility was to distribute timed entry passes to the White House and provide a brief historical overview of the White House and President’s Park to visitors prior to their visit. With the elimination of daily timed entry following the events of 9/11, the facility’s mission evolved to primarily serve as an educational center for nearly 700,000 visitors per year.
With the renovation, the design team’s goal was to create opportunities for children and families to connect to the history of the White House, highlighting its complex role as a symbol to the world. Features include new interactive interpretive exhibits, a theater with a 14-minute film, a new permanent museum gallery, a temporary exhibit area, a new retail shop and visitor information facilities.
All of this was accomplished while respecting the historic fabric of Baldrige Hall and in compliance with The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. This seamless integration of architecture and exhibits within the distinct character of the room creates a dialog between old and new by enhancing the qualities of Baldrige Hall as a backdrop to the contemporary new visitor experience.
“Not only does this transformative design help the White House Historical Association better achieve its educational mission, but it also exemplifies the National Park Service’s larger mission of preservation of the nation’s heritage, stewardship of the environment and accessibility for all visitors,” said David Greenbaum, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, vice president at SmithGroupJJR and design principal for the project.
“The essence of this new experience is to bring to life the voices of those who worked and lived in the White House through time in an environment that’s both engaging and interactive,” said Cybelle Jones, principal and creative director at Gallagher & Associates and exhibit design leader.
The project is targeting LEED-CI Gold certification.
Related Stories
| Feb 24, 2022
Signs of ‘Antiwork’ appear in the architecture industry
Reddit's r/Antiwork forum highlights the mounting pressures everyday workers face in a purely capitalistic society. AEC industry professionals are not immune to these pressures.
Office Buildings | Feb 23, 2022
The Beam on Farmer, Arizona’s first mass timber, multi-story office building tops out
The Beam on Farmer, Arizona’s first mass timber, multi-story office building, topped out on Feb. 10, 2022.
Codes and Standards | Feb 21, 2022
More bad news on sea level rise for U.S. coastal areas
A new government report predicts sea levels in the U.S. of 10 to 12 inches higher by 2050, with some major cities on the East and Gulf coasts experiencing damaging floods even on sunny days.
Wood | Feb 18, 2022
$2 million mass timber design competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon (entries due March 30!)
To promote construction of tall mass timber buildings in the U.S., the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) and USDA Forest Service (USDA) have joined forces on a competition to showcase mass timber’s application, commercial viability, and role as a natural climate solution.
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2022
On-campus performing arts centers and museums can be talent magnets for universities
Cultural facilities are changing the way prospective students and parents view higher education campuses.
University Buildings | Feb 17, 2022
A vacated school in St. Louis is turned into a center where suppliers exchange ideas
In 1871, The Carondelet School, designed by Frederick William Raeder, opened to educate more than 400 children of laborers and manufacturers in St. Louis. The building is getting a second lease on life, as it has undergone a $2 million renovation by goBRANDgo!, a marketing firm for the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Feb 17, 2022
Metal roofing trends
New ideas in design and constructability are radically changing how metal systems are used as roofing for commercial and institutional buildings. Behind the investment in these new kinds of expressions and construction approaches is a growing interest in improved performance and reduced environmental impact. Metal roofing systems can cut cooling and heating loads significantly, according to the EPA.
Data Centers | Feb 15, 2022
Data center boom: How two AEC firms plan to meet unprecedented demand for data center facilities
Ramboll's Jim Fox and EYP Mission Critical Facilities' Rick Einhorn discuss the recent joining of their companies at a time of unprecedented data center demand. BD+C's John Caulfield leads the discussion with Fox, Ramboll's Managing Director for the Americas, and Einhorn, EYP Mission Critical Facilities' Managing Director.
Architects | Feb 15, 2022
Binkley Garcia Architecture and Goodwyn Mills Cawood join forces in Nashville
Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is pleased to announce the acquisition of architecture and interior design firm Binkley Garcia Architecture in Nashville.
Resiliency | Feb 15, 2022
Design strategies for resilient buildings
LEO A DALY's National Director of Engineering Kim Cowman takes a building-level look at resilient design.