Letter
Dear Mr. Hanlon:
In its meeting of 17 September, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design submission for a new parking garage, G1, to be located southeast of the new stadium proposed for the site of the former Robert F. Kennedy stadium, along the Anacostia River at East Capitol Street. The Commission did not take an action, providing the following recommendations for the development of the design.
In their discussion, the Commission members provided comments on the two alternatives presented for the facades and requested further development of both alternatives. They found that Option 2, articulated as a series of pavilions to break down its large scale, appears more aligned with the goals of the proposed master plan and would more successfully integrate into the surrounding development. They expressed appreciation for the artistic motif of native wild rice proposed for decorative panels as part of the building’s cladding, and they recommended that the scale of this motif be applied consistently across the facades. However, noting that it might not be possible to incorporate the finer details on exposed concrete as proposed for the precast barriers at the spandrels, they recommended exploring alternative materials such as metal or glass panels in lieu of concrete. Finally, they recommended that the proposed light fixtures illuminate the building without themselves becoming design features; sources should be fully hidden and should avoid producing hot spots, and the interior lighting of the parking decks should be as unobtrusive as possible from the exterior.
In their discussion of Option 1, the Commission members commented that its design is visually more similar to the proposed stadium and would be more appropriate for a greenfield site, and therefore it could present a stronger architectural presence on opening day before the surrounding development is completed. However, they recommended several changes to make it more compatible with future development: adding repetitive vertical elements to break down the large facades in a similar way to Option 2; reshaping the proposed tapered corners to make them more vertical and grounded; and considering the use of uplighting for the floating roof.
The Commission looks forward to reviewing further development of the facade alternatives for this project. Please coordinate the next submission with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Brian Hanlon RFK Project Executive
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 317
Washington, DC 20004
cc: Maurice Walters, Maurice Walters Architects
Matthew Bell, Perkins Eastman
Jen Nersessian, National Park Service
Diane Sullivan, National Capital Planning Commission