Letter
Dear Mr. Hunter:
In its meeting of 19 March, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design for renovations and additions to Whittier Elementary School, located at 6201 5th Street, NW. Raising concerns about the character of the proposed addition, the Commission did not take an action, instead providing the following comments for the development of the design.
In their discussion, the Commission members expressed some support for the general design approach, which proposes a large addition to the east of the historic school and a new main entrance within a glazed hyphen between the old and new buildings. They also endorsed the restoration of the portal on the east facade of the historic building as well as the use of mass timber for the structure of the proposed addition. However, citing the recent federal directive regarding classical and traditional architecture for public buildings, they recommended revising the design to have a stronger civic character and a more consistent architectural relationship with the historic Neo-Georgian school. As such, they suggested reworking several elements of the proposal to create a more unified and compatible composition, including revising the offset fenestration pattern and the heavy cast stone frame surrounding the second and third floors, eliminating the strong horizontal line at the second level to better integrate the base with the upper stories. They expressed appreciation for the presentation of material samples, and they suggested selecting a brick closer in color to the existing school.
The Commission looks forward to further review of this important public project. Please continue to consult with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Delano Hunter, Director
D.C. Department of General Services
3924 Minnesota Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20019
cc: Paul Lund, Hord Coplan Macht
Renee Pean, D.C. Public Schools