Presidential design awards

PRESIDENTIAL DESIGN AWARDS

ROUND FOUR

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As the largest producer and
consumer of designed goods and
services in the world, the United
States is committed to the highest
standards of design excellence.
Well-designed products, services,
and communications bring
economy, safety, ease, and
beauty to our everyday lives.
Design reaches into every sector
of society and can even transform
the way government works.

By recognizing government
agencies, federal employees,
and private designers, the
Presidential Design Awards
promote awareness of the many
ways design can make government
better serve the American people.
I commend the recipients of
this year's awards for helping to
enhance the quality of life in our
nation. Your work exemplifies
the ingenuity, creativity, and skill
that has always defined the
American spirit.

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As America nears the third millennium,
the nation and the world face unprec-
edented change. Frequently compared
to the Industrial Revolution, the trans-
formation we are experiencing today is
a source of profound threats as well as
daunting opportunities. To succeed in
this environment, we must anticipate,
shape, and respond with innovative
products, communications, services,
facilities, and environments. Design is
the key to helping us meet this chal-
lenge. It is a strategic national resource
whose full potential is yet to be realized:

Economically, design can enhance
our nation's prosperity and opportuni-
ties for employment by improving the
global competitiveness of U.S. products
and services, streamlining the manufac-
turing process, and creatively refining
the interface between human beings and
technology.

Environmentally, design is an
essential element in providing a clean,
safe, and sustainable environment,
making contributions in such areas as
recycling and pollution control as well
as providing strategies for the wise long-
term use of natural resources, land,
infrastructure, and historic resources.

Educationally, design is a tool for
identifying problems, analyzing informa-
tion, developing critical thinking skills,
envisioning options, and communicat-
ing solutions. The very process of design
gives us the power to envision ideas from
different perspectives while drawing
inspiration from multiple disciplines.

Socially, design can break down the
physical and psychological barriers to
full participation in society and open the

way for a democratic and economic
system that is truly inclusive. It does this
by making products, communications,
and environments universally accessible.

The federal government is the nation's
largest builder, printer, and user of
design services and products. Ensuring
that the federal government secures the
best design is an integral part of respon-
sible stewardship of public resources.
Since the early 1970s, the Design Pro-
gram of the National Endowment for the
Arts has worked to keep good design at
the forefront of federal activities through
its Federal Design Improvement Pro-
gram. In 1983 President Reagan estab-
lished the Presidential Design Awards
to encourage and recognize the design
successes of federal agencies and to
honor those individuals who have made
outstanding contributions to federal
design. In its second decade, the awards
program has established itself as a bea-
con for design excellence in the federal
government.

The Presidential Design Awards are
administered by the National Endow-
ment for the Arts and are presented
every four years. The program includes
two levels of awards: Federal Design
Achievement A wards are merit awards
given by the National Endowment for
the Arts as its highest recognition of
quality design; and Presidential Awards
for Design Excellence are presented
by the President of the United States
for design of the highest quality in
accordance with international stand-
ards.This book recognizes the winners
of the fourth round of awards.

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For design excellence to be achieved,
design must be integrated into the
product development process from the
beginning, rather than being tacked on
at the end as superficial styling. As a
recognition of the connection between
the process and the results, the Presi-
dential Design Awards program salutes
federal achievements in both design
products and design activities in the
areas of architecture, landscape architec-
ture, urban design and planning, his-
toric preservation, interior design,
engineering and energy conservation,
industrial and product design, and
graphic design. Design products include
completed and implemented design
works in any of these eight categories.
Products are the tangible results of a
design process such as a building,
landscape, bridge, dam, exhibit, or
poster. Design activities include admin-
istrative or management programs,
processes, and policies that develop,
foster, or sustain design excellence such
as design awards programs, research
and educational activities, master plans,
or design guidelines. Activities provide
opportunities to institutionalize good
design practices and achieve consistent
design excellence, rather than focusing
on one-time achievements. They em-
phasize the collaborative and interdisci-
plinary nature of design and provide a
framework for approaching design
challenges.

All federal employees and federal
contractors, state and local govern-
ments, and nonprofit organizations are
invited to participate in the Presidential
Design Awards program. The principal
requirement is that the work entered
was authorized, commissioned,
produced, or supported by the federal
government and was completed within
ten years before the call for entries.

Round Four focused on works
completed and in use between June 1,
1984, and June 1, 1994. It involved four
juries of private sector design experts
reviewing 420 entries from more than
90 federal entities. The juries focused
on four broad areas of design: architec-
ture and interior design; graphic design
and product/industrial design; landscape
architecture, urban design and planning;
and engineering. They selected 75
projects to receive Federal Design
Achievement Awards. Of these, nine
were recommended to receive Presiden-
tial Awards for Design Excellence.

The criteria which guided the awards
jury in making its selection were:

Purpose. The undertaking must have
made a contribution that improved the
federal government's ability to fulfill its
mission.

Leadership. The undertaking must
have established exemplary design
practices, standards, or guidelines that
can serve as models for federal and
private sector design activities.

Cost. The undertaking should have
been cost-efficient on an environmental
and life-cycle basis and should have
demonstrated careful design and plan-
ning without sacrificing performance
or quality.

Aesthetics. The undertaking must
have demonstrated aesthetic sensibility
and have been appropriate in image,
form, and context.

Performance. The undertaking
must have demonstrated a high level of
technical and functional proficiency in
all aspects of performance.

This book honors the 75 award-winning
projects by highlighting the elements of
good design and discussing the benefits
that federal agencies, the nation, and its
peoples receive from well-designed
buildings, landscapes and urban spaces,
interiors, communications, products,
and services. Many of the winning
projects demonstrate how good design
is the result of a collaborative, interdisci-
plinary process, often involving citizens
and consumers, and how it can help us
expand our creative potential and learn
to appreciate our built and natural
environments.

The award-winning projects and
those individuals responsible for creat-
ing, administering, and advocating these
works demonstrate that excellence can
flourish in the federal environment. The
achievements of those honored in the
pages that follow will serve as an inspira-
tion and guide for excellence in federal
design activities. The President, the
National Endowment for the Arts, and
the awards jury congratulate and com-
mend the memberc of the federal design
community who work hard to secure
our nation's prosperity and quality of
life through good design.

Donlyn Lyndon (chair)
Principal, Lyndon/Buchanan
Associates, Berkeley, California

JURY MEMBERS

Architecture and
Interior Design

Graham Gund (chair)

President, Graham Gund Architects,

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Beverly Russell

President, Beverly Russell Enterprises,
New Paltz, New York

Adele Naude Santos

Principal, Adele Naude Santos

and Associates, San Diego, California

Dr. Sharon E. Sutton

Professor of Architecture,
University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Jane Thompson

Principal, Thompson and Wood, Inc.,
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cynthia Weese

Dean, School of Architecture,
Washington University,
St. Louis, Missouri

Amy Weinstein

Principal, Weinstein Associates,
Architects, Washington, DC

Graphic Design and
Product/Industrial Design

Richard Saul Wurman (chair)
Chairman, Technology, Education,
Design (TED) Conferences,
Newport, Rhode Island

Bryce Ambo

Principal, Bryce Ambo Graphic Design,
Arlington, Massachusetts

Robert Brunner

Director of Industrial Design,

Apple Computer, Cupertino, California

Matthew Carter

Principal, Carter 8c Cone Type, Inc.,
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Nancye Green

Partner, Donovan &: Green,
New York, New York

Richard Poulin

Principal, Richard Poulin
Design Group Inc.,
New York, New York

Patrick Whitney

Director, Institute of Design,
Illinois Institute of Technology,
Chicago, Illinois

Lorraine Wild

Partner. Re Verb,

Los Angeles, California

Landscape Architecture,
Urban Design and Planning

Everett L. Fly (chair)

Principal, E.L. Fly 8c Associates, Inc.,

San Antonio, Texas

Michael Barker

Executive Director,

American Planning Association.

Washington, DC

Catherine Brown

Senior Fellow, Design Center
for American Urban Landscape,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Engineering

Guy Nordenson (chair)
Founding Principal. Ove Amp 8c
Partners, New York, New York

Joseph P. Colaco

Partner-in-Charge. CBM Engineers. Inc.,
Houston, Texas

Virginia Fairweather

Editor-in-Chief. Civil Engineering.
New York, New York

Joe Passonneau

Principal, Joseph Passonneau &: Partners.
Washington. DC

I Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from
Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

http://archive.org/details/presidentialdesiOOnati

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

Focus: HOPE
Center for Advanced
Technologies

Detroit, Michigan

The vision of Focus: HOPE Center for
Advanced Technologies (CAT) was to
take an abandoned fragment of an indus-
trial city and transform it into a symbol
of progress and a gateway into a better
life. The CAT has turned a lifeless 50-
year-old Ford engine plant, in a section
of Detroit where the unemployment and
labor dropout rate averages 45 percent,
into a state-of-the-art, computer-inte-
grated manufacturing and learning
center. Only modest changes have been
made to the outside of the building,
but the interior incorporates the latest
manufacturing technology suited for
low-volume, high-skill production. The
factory floor is organized into six neigh-
borhoods composed of high-tech manu-
facturing cells producing one or more
products. People and materials move
through the neighborhoods on "streets"
while utilities are delivered via sub-floor
"alleys." The visual focus of each neigh-
borhood is a power tower with services
and mechanical equipment on the
ground and third floors and a training/
conference room in between.

The three-story office block in front
of the manufacturing floor has been
remodeled to include an electronic
library, learning center, meeting rooms,
cafeteria and visitors platform projecting
into the factory. A new central stair with
a large window connects the second and
third floors and symbolically opens the

factor)' - with its new jobs and careers -
to the people living in the surrounding
area. More pragmatically, the plant has
been thoroughly insulated and employs
a cogeneration strategy to reduce energy
consumption significantly. Hands-free
amenities such as sliding doors, ambient
lighting and drinking fountains help
deliver the message that this facility
looks to the future.

In an era when industry is moving to
the suburbs, exacerbating urban sprawl
and dispersing jobs, this project demon-
strates the viability of rehabilitating
older inner-city factories and communi-
ties. The CAT maintains its exterior as
a reminder of the factory that discarded
the neighborhood, while inside, the
dramatic design matches the vitality of
the program and confirms the potential
of its workers to contribute to this
country's industrial rebirth. It embodies
two essential elements of any living
community - continuity and change.
In the final analysis, this is a facility that
makes a profound statement about
human empowerment.

Credits:

Department of Commerce,

Economic Development Administration,

Chicago Regional Office

Focus: HOPE

Smith Him Iimkui & Grylls Associates, Inc.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

The Byron White

United States Courthouse

Denver. Colorado

Courthouses are no ordinary buildings.
They embody die two great distin-
guishing characteristics of democracy -
equality and justice. Their design must
be "of the time", able to relate to every
citizen, and "for all times", inspiring a
sense of respect and civic responsibility
in each generation. The Byron White
United States Courthouse, as a result of
the commitment of the General Services
Administration (GSA) and the imagina-
tive intervention of its designers, epito-
mizes what a courthouse should and can
be in America.

The preservation of this early 20th
century courthouse illustrates a strategy
which combines a deep respect for the
past with the thoughtful integration of
new spaces for new uses. Built from 1910
to 1916 as the Federal Courthouse/Post
Office, the 244,000 square-foot structure
became known as "The Mile High City's
grandest Neoclassical Structure". Its
Renaissance Revival interior was espe-
cially noteworthy for its abundant natu-
ral light, most evident in its massive
skylights and interior courtyard. How-
ever, despite this rich design heritage,
by the late 1980s, the grandeur and
natural light had been eclipsed by layers
of insensitive remodeling. So much
of the original architecture had been
destroyed or compromised that, when
the need for new court facilities arose,
serious consideration was given to
building a new courthouse. Instead,
at the urging of a Judges' Restoration
Committee, GSA acquired the derelict
building in 1988 with the goal of

restoring it to serve the needs of a 21st
century judiciary.

The architects used generous vol-
umes and natural light, as well as classic
proportions and simplified details to
recreate the original spirit of the build-
ing. The exterior was completely
cleaned, with minimal repairs to the
marble in order to preserve as much
of the original fabric as possible. The
former post office lobby, now called the
Grand Hall, was restored. The main
corridor of the second floor, which had
been reduced to a fluorescent five-foot
corridor in the 1960s, was restored to its
original proportions, lit once again by
the natural light of the interior courtyard
and by recreations of the original cast
bronze sconces.

All five courtrooms are new, even
the Ceremonial En Banc Courtroom
centered in what was once the main post
office work area. Although the massive
sky lights are not visible, light from them
suffuses the translucent panels.

At a cost of $1 15 per square foot, the
building has the same estimated useful
life as new courthouses currently being
built at $200 per square foot. Currently
valued at $200 million or $820 per
square foot, the Byron White Court-
house is proof that good design is good
business, increasing the economic value
of our federal assets while enriching our
communities and our national spirit.

Credits:

General Services Administration,
Rocky Mountain Region

Michael Barber Architecture

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PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

United States
Holocaust Memorial
Museum

Washington, DC

The United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum represents one of those rare
moments in architecture where stone,
steel, glass and other materials used in
the fahri cation of a building are trans-
formed into an experience that must be
described as "transcendent." Here
design becomes a bridge linking history-
to the present, melding cold and horrify-
ing facts with overwhelming emotions
and presenting a challenge to respect
and treasure the diversity- of humankind.

Located on a mid-block site just
south of the Mall in Washington, DC,
the museum's massing, limestone and
brick facades, and references to neoclas-
sicism are appropriate to the scale and
style of federal buildings that surround
it. While the building acknowledges its
context, it also disengages itself from the
institutional urban fabric. The east
facade is hallmarked with a dramatic
stone screen that moves in a great arc
onto the sidewalk. The west facade has a
plaza to welcome visitors. A grand
hexagonal pavilion off to one side con-
trasts with the brick towers and glass-
enclosed catwalks on the other side.

The entry- point is the three-story
Hall of Witness where a stair cuts into
the space on a diagonal, a trussed sky-
light wraps overhead, and industrial
metal braces and vents disconcert with-

out literally- recreating a particular Holo-
caust site. The overall intent is clear, but
those who enter this hall and the exhibits
that unfold in a sequence of bright and
dark, tall and low chambers, catwalks
and towers that follow, are prompted to
interpret this as personal experiences
rather than as a prescribed recounting
of history-. In this structure, architecture,
materials and light are integral dimen-
sions of the displays which are key-
elements in the museum's poignant
message. The culmination of the visitors
passage is the Hall of Remembrance,
a broad and skylit hexagonal room
designed for prayer and contemplation.

Programmatically. this Holocaust
memorial is much more than a museum.
Approximately 25 percent of its space
is dedicated to permanent exhibits with

12

another five percent allotted to tempo-
rary installations. In addition, the build-
ing houses a major research library and
archives for scholars, a cinema, theater,
a 10,000-square foot conference center,
an interactive computer learning center,
classrooms and areas for impromptu
discussion. This building represents the
power of design to give form to human
experience so that others might learn
and understand.

Credits:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Pei Cobb Freed & Partners

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PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

,,

United States
Holocaust Memorial
Museum
Permanent Exhibition

Washington, DC

The most difficult task of the design for
the permanent exhibition of the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum was to
engage visitors in the extremely sensitive
subject matter without sensationalizing
or trivializing it. The success of the
design can be measured by public reac-
tion. During the first year, 1 .3 million
people visited the permanent collection
staying for an average of three hours,
twice the typical museum visit.

Focusing on individuals within the
larger context of the Holocaust, the
designers have created a restrained
presentation, taking into account visi-
tors' ages and tolerance levels. Within
this context, the designers have success-
fully integrated 2,500 photographs,
1,000 artifacts, 53 video monitors, 30
interactive stations, and three video
projection theaters.

Because of scheduling constraints,
the entire project was completed in half
the usual time. Coordination with the
architect allowed the exhibition design-
ers to modify the architectural space

even after the construction drawings
were complete. Design development
and fabrication also overlapped with
approximately 200 square feet designed
every three weeks and built within the
following two months.

By confronting moral issues in his-
tory and creating a new paradigm for
museums that integrates architecture
and exhibits into a total experience, the
museum has helped advance design.
Using the model of a storytelling walk-
through, a number of cultural history
facilities dealing with issues of ethics
and values have emerged across the
country.

The close working relationship
between the museum designers and the
United States Holocaust Memorial
Council, the federal organization result-
ing from the legislation authorizing the
museum, allowed the designers to work
through several difficult agendas. The
result was the unusually rapid develop-
ment of a remarkably successful federal
design project.

Credits:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Ralph Appelbaum Associates Incorporated

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PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

The Double Arch Bridge
of the Natchez Trace
Parkway

Franklin, Tennessee

Since the late 1930s, the National Park
Service has been constructing the
Natchez Trace Parkway, a two-lane
roadway that runs from Nashville,
Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi.
This roadway closely aligns with the
historic Natchez Trace - the most highly
traveled wilderness trail of the old
"Southwest". The parkway is an unhur-
ried connection between Natchez and
Nashville that offers a sense of the his-
torical significance of the Trace, while
preserving the character and natural
beauty of the surrounding landscape.
The design and construction of the
Double Arch Bridge, spanning a large
valley across Tennessee Route 96 near
Franklin, Tennessee, represents one of
the final links of the 50-year parkway
project.

The major goal of the project was to
preserve and enhance the area's natural
beauty while maintaining a high stan-
dard of economic and environmental
responsibility. A particular challenge to
the designers was the sensitivity of the
steep slope of the valley. Equipment
could not be placed there without caus-
ing damage. The double arch design
was selected to complement the natural
beauty of the area and create a focal
point for the northern portion of the
parkway. As it crosses the valley, the
bridge spans more than 1,600 feet and
rises to 155 feet above the valley floor.

The design of the bridge was innova-
tive in a couple of ways. First, rather than
using the spandrel columns traditionally
used in arch bridges to evenly distribute
the weight of the deck, the Double Arch
Bridge concentrates the weight near the
crown of each arch, creating an altered
geometry with the arches being thicker
at their crowns than at their bases. The
result is a strong, clean profile for the
bridge, set against its natural landscape.
Second, the bridge's arches, decks and
piers were constructed out of precast
segments, representing the first time
precast segmental technology was used
in an arched bridge in the United States.
The total project time was only 25
months.

Effective communication and inter-
action among the National Park Service,
Federal Highway Administradon, and
contractor resulted in a project that was
completed on time and without legal
claims, cost increases, accidents, or
permanent damage to the environment.
Traffic on Route 96 was not interrupted.
All this was accomplished while achiev-
ing National Park Service requirements
for functionality and aesthetic appeal.

16

Credits:

Department of Transportation,
Federal Highway Administration,
Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division

Department of the Interior,

National Park Service, Denver Service Center,

the Southeast Region and the

Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center

Figg Engineering Group

17

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

3§fc "

Interstate 90
Completion Project

Seattle, Washington

The Interstate 90 Completion Project
demonstrates that through careful plan-
ning and creative application of land-
scape design, a highway can knit com-
munities together rather than tear them
apart. The seven-mile multimodal
transportation corridor includes 200
acres of park and roadside development,
12 miles of bicycle/pedestrian trails,
31 acres of landscape development on
concrete covers or "lids" over the high-
way, and four acres of new wedands in
three urban communities.

The old 1-90 freeway separated
communities with a broad expanse of
pavement, noise and vehicular pollu-
tion. Now, the communities have been
physically and emotionally reconnected
by lowering die roadway to reduce its
visual and noise impact and by using
wide, landscaped bridge structures and
lids to cover the freeway with park
space. The new open spaces created by
the lids and bridges now contain parks,
tennis courts and ball fields that bring
residents together.

The project is the result of vision,
perseverance, and design excellence by
landscape architects, civil and structural
engineers, artists, and countless citizens
and public leaders who were involved in
more than 30 years of planning, design
and implementation.

Technical excellence is demon-
strated in the innovative use of the lid
structures that crown the lowered high-
way. The fids gready reduce the traffic
noise and cover the visual impact of the
highway. Irrigation systems were de-
signed to provide plants with moisture
during summer droughts, with an inno-
vative computer system automatically
adjusting watering frequencies.

Other innovative technical solutions
included the design and construction of
the two largest concrete floating bridges

in the world, a new wedand in Mercer
Slough, and the largest in diameter, soft-
ground tunnel in the world. Also, the
lowering of the roadway required vari-
ous retaining wall applications to re-
spond to unique soil conditions.

Aesthetic excellence also abounds.
The planners coordinated wall configu-
rations, signage and illumination to
ensure continuity throughout the corri-
dor. Wide landscaped medians and
planting pockets within the lowered
roadway provide delineation of traffic
lanes and tie the project to the surround-
ing environment. A viewpoint was
created to take advantage of the spec-
tacular view of the floating bridges,
Lake Washington and the Cascade
Mountains from the east portal of the
tunnel at Mount Baker Ridge.

The Interstate 90 Completion
Project successfully provides creative
solutions to multiple design issues. It
makes and maintains pedestrian connec-
tions between existing neighborhoods
and is a model for collaboration and
coordination of an extremely large and
complex project.

Credits:

Department of Transportation,
Federal Highway Administration,
Washington Division

Washington State Department
of Transportation

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19

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

River Relocation Project

Providence, Rhode Island

Moving rivers might appear to be a
Herculean task to some, but in Provi-
dence, Rhode Island, city planners have
done just that and in the process have
knit together the urban fabric of their
city. Not far from the spot where Roger
Williams first stepped ashore in 1636,
the Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck
and Providence Rivers have been
reconfigured, creating a "Y-shaped"
landscaped river corridor at the center
of the city connecting existing parks and
accommodating both boat traffic and a
pedestrian walkway.

The river-moving is just part of a
major urban revitalization plan that
includes removing acres of roadway
decking and interstate access ramps that
obscured the rivers, providing naviga-
tional lanes for small craft, improving
pedestrian access, clarifying traffic
patterns and beautifying what had
previously been an eyesore. Seven
distinct new bridges have been designed
to accommodate vehicles, and five other
new bridges are dedicated for pedestrian
use. The bridges collect and distribute

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traffic from the core of the city and tie
into the interstate system. A four-acre
park called Waterplace at the western
terminus of the new walkway system
contains a visitor center, amphitheater,
fountain and several small plazas.

The project's ability to bring aes-
thetic beauty to a great variety of large
and small elements is remarkable. The
new bridges have been designed with
gentle arches that reflect in the water
and allow small boats to pass through.
Pedestrian walkways along the river-
banks have been paved with cobble-
stones from an old city street, and large
granite blocks from a demolished rail-
road viaduct line the river walls. Even
the smallest details have been carefully
considered for their beauty and func-
tionality.

Public participation has been the
hallmark of the design process dating
from the initial 1983 waterfront study
that launched the effort. A design advi-
sory committee composed of citizens
and public agencies participated in the

20

design process on a regular basis. In
addition, several public workshops and
hearings were conducted.

The River Relocation Project is an
ambitious and thoughtful effort that
succeeds in improving the city's infra-
structure and traffic problems while
turning around the image of the water-
front, drawing business and pedestrians
to its beauty and amenities.

Credits:

Department of Transportation. Federal Highway
Administration, Region 1

Rhode Island Department ol Transportation

William D. Warner. Architects & Planners

Maguire Group, Inc.

21

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

The Cooper- Hewitt,
National Museum off Design,
Smithsonian Institution

New York, New York

The Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum
of Design, Smithsonian Institution, has
consistently advocated the importance
of design in our lives by including a
broad audience in a discourse covering
a wide range of design issues. Through
the outstanding use of design and de-
signers in its own publications and
exhibits, the museum serves as a role
model in fostering good design and
informing the public about design.

The museum's exhibitions have
ranged in their focus from an examina-
tion of a single object to displaying
some of its most rare collections. With
"A Royal Gift: The 1862 Porcelain
Jewel Cabinet," the goal was to focus
on one extraordinary object from the
museum's permanent collection - a six
foot tall jewelry cabinet made at the
Sevres factory in Paris during the 1820s.
In 1992, the Cooper-Hewitt introduced
the Ludmilla and Henry Collection of
Soviet propaganda porcelains in the
exhibition and accompanying catalogue
to "Revolution, Life and Labor: Soviet
Porcelains 1918-1985."

The Cooper-Hewitt also examines
the design process behind different

types of objects, their development, and
the impact they have in our daily lives.
Demonstrating the importance of maps
as a form of visual information design,
The "Power of Maps" exhibition re-
vealed the particular point of view and
specific interests behind the creation
of maps. The exhibition, "Packaging
the New: Design and the American
Consumer" brought the relationship
between the designer, the advertiser
and the consumer into focus, exploring
the results of 40 years of consumer
culture in America. This critical stance
was also a key factor in the exhibition,
"Mechanical Brides: Women and
Machines from Home to Office" which
examined how design meets functional
or practical needs while simultaneously
creating cultural identities.

Through well-designed, striking
exhibitions and publications covering a
wide range of topics, the Cooper-Hewitt
is playing a vital role in educating the
general public about the importance

22

of design. The museum should be
applauded for the high standards that
have been set in developing such cre-
ative and imaginative projects. By serv-
ing as a model for other institutions in
the use of good design practices, the
Cooper-Hewitt fulfills its role as a
national design advocate.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution, Cooper-Hewitt.
National Design Museum

-'■

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

FDA Food
Label Design

One of the central challenges of graphic
design is how to create a design that
expedites the understanding of informa-
tion. Rarely has there been a more
formidable federal design challenge than
the redesigning of the nutrition labeling
for package foods. The redesign of the
labeling was mandated by the Nutrition
and Labeling Act of 1990, and as a
response to a public becoming increas-
ingly more concerned about the nutri-
tional content of the food products they
buy. The responsibility for the new

labeling system fell to the Food and
Drug Administration, the branch of
the Department of Health and Human
Services that regulates nutritional infor-
mation.

The design had to attract the atten-
tion of an enormously diverse target
audience, as it competed with the dra-
matic design of product packaging, in
a severely restricted amount of space.
Complex nutritional data had to be
presented in a clear and simple format in
order to assist this audience in making

24

The New Food Label at a Glance

The new food label will carry an up-to-date, easier touse
nutrition information guide, to be required on almost all
packaged foods (compared to about 60 percent of products
up till now). The guide will serve as a key to help in plan-
ning a healthy diet.*

Serving sizes are

now more
consistent across
product lines, are
stated in both
household and
metric measures,
and reflect the
amounts people
actually eat.

The label of
larger packages
may now tell the
number of
calories per
gram of fat,
carbohydrate,
and protein.

The list of
nutrients

covers those
most important to
the health of
today's consum-
ers, most of
whom need to
worry about
getting too much
of certain nutri-
ents (fat. for
example), rather
than too few
vitamins or
minerals, as in
the past.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (228g)
Servings Per Container 2

Amount Per Serving

Calories 260 Calories from Fat 120

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g

20%

Saturated Fat 5g

25%

Cholesterol 30mg

10%

Sodium 660mg

28%

Total Carbohydrate 31 g 10%

Dietary Fiber Og

0%

Sugars 5g

Protein 5g

Vitamin A 4%

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 15% •

Iron 4%

Percent Daily Values are based on
calorie diet. Your daily values may
or lower depending on your calorie
Calories: 2,000

a 2,000

be higher

needs:

2,500

Total Fat Less than

Sat Fat Less than
Cholesterol Less than
Sodium Less than 2,400mg

Total Carbohydrate 300g

Dietary Fiber

65g
20g
300mg

25g

80g

25g

300mg

2,400mg

375g

30g

Calories per gram:

Fat 9 • Carbohydrate 4 • Protein 4

New title signals
that the label
contains the newly
required tnforma
tion.

Calories from fat

are now shown on
the label to help
consumers meet
dietary guidelines
that recommend
people get no more
than 30 percent of
the calories in their
overall diet from
fat.

% Dally Value

shows how a
food fits into the
overall daily diet.

Dally Values are

also something
new. Seme are
maximums, as with
fat (65 grams or
less.); others are
mmimums, as with
carbohydrate (300
grams or morel.
The daily values for
a 2.000- and 2.500-
calorie diet must be
listed on the label
of larger packages.

This label is only a sample. Exact specifications are in the final rules.
Source: Food and Drug Administration, 1994

quick, informed decisions that will
ultimately affect their health. After a
three-year design process that included
the study of designs from other coun-
tries, numerous public hearings, over
1.200 consumer interviews, and the
analysis of more than 40. 000 comments,
the FDA created a new standard for
package food design with the new
Nutrition Facts label.

By introducing a new nutrition tool
called "daily value" in conjunction with
a carefully chosen set of rules ami type-
faces, the new labels let consumers
quickly and easily assess the amount of
a particular ingredient as it relates to
their overall daily diet. In a time when
the public is exposed to large amounts
of complex information that is often
disorganized and difficult to inteqjret,
the FDA's efforts to clarify the under-
standing of nutritional data are excep-
tional. The FDA estimates that as much
as $27 billion in healthcare costs will be
saved over the next 20 years as the result
of Americans making better choices
about their diets.

Credits:

Department of Health and Human Services.
Food and Drug Administration

Greenfield/Belser Ltd.

"We're witnessing a public
health milestone and a victory
for consumers."

Michael Jacobson, Director
The Center for Science in the
Public Interest

"For the first time, the food
industry, government and
health professionals are singing
the same song."

Joan I Iorbiak, President
Health and Nutrition Network

"With large type and revealing
figures, the new food labels
take much of the myster) out
of nutrition."

Time Magazine

25

L.

XV

FEDERAL DESIGN

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

19 9 5

ARCHITECTURE

Barataria Environmental
Education Center

Jean Lafitte National Historical
Park and Preserve
New Orleans, Louisiana

A prominent example of ecologically-
sensitive design, Barataria Environmen-
tal Education Center was designed to
provide the public with a safe place to
learn about and experience the 20,000-
acre Jean Lafitte National Historical
Park and Preserve in New Orleans.
Blending into the diverse natural and
cultural environments native to the
Mississippi River Delta, the 8,600-
square-foot building is surrounded by
bayous, shaded by pecan and oak trees,
and set back into the undergrowth to
mask its size. Facilities are organized
along a central spine and include a
library, amphitheater, workshop/labora-
tory, kitchen, office, and audio/visual
area, each gently tucked among the trees
of the pecan grove.

Amplifying this closeness to nature,
skylights, translucent roofing materials
and walls treated as grids of windows or

framed openings create spaces where
inside and outside seem to merge. It is a
collection of tranquil spaces, dappled
with sun and shadow, that is so thought-
fully woven into the forest that no major
trees had to be removed to accommo-
date the design.

In a structural approach typical of
delta architecture, the entire center and
adjoining pathways are lifted above the
swamp on concrete columns to preserve
existing drainage patterns, minimize
damage to plants and animals, and
elevate the floors above flood level
during hurricanes. The Barataria Envi-
ronmental Education Center is an excel-
lent example of how design can create
public spaces that both celebrate and
respect our nation's cherished natural
environments.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,
National Park Service,
Denver Service Center and the
Jean Lafitte National Historical
Park and Preserve

Eskew Filson Architects

The Architectural
Advisory Board

The presence of United States embas-
sies abroad provides our country with
the opportunity to establish a strong
positive image in host countries
throughout the world. The architecture
of the buildings that house our foreign
missions must strike a delicate balance
between presenting a strong visual
symbol of the values we wish to project
to the world while remaining sensitive to
the design traditions of each country.
For more than 40 years, the Archi-
tectural Advisory Board of the State
Department's Office of Foreign Build-
ings Operations (FBO) has helped
produce an impressive body of work
that has received acclaim from host
countries and architectural critics
throughout the world. The Architec-
tural Advisory Board's primary mission
is to examine conceptual designs for
new embassies and provide design
guidance to the FBO and its architects.
The board is composed of three interna-
tionally acclaimed architects and archi-
tectural educators who serve three-year
terms. Over the years, its membership
has included architects such as Pietro
Belluschi, Eero Saarinen, Charles
Moore, Harry Weese, and Thomas
Beeby. In a process that emphasizes

28

ARCH

T E C T U R E

creative dialogue, the board participates
in the selection of a design firm, pro-
vides a critique of two or three design
alternatives for the project, and, finally,
works with the architects to address
unique building requirements, security-
criteria, architectural quality, and un-
foreseen challenges that inevitably arise
as a design evolves.

The Architectural Advisory Board
has, with great success, fostered an
excellence in embassy design that has
communicated openness, goodwill and
dignity, thereby enhancing our nation's
image throughout the world. Numerous
award-winning buildings attest to the
long-term success of the board. The
program opens up communication
between the client and the architect and
establishes benchmarks of excellence
that encourage designers to do their
best. This is a model program for other
federal agencies.

Credits:

Department of State,

Office of Foreign Buildings Operations

Daybreak Grove/
Sunrise Place

Escondido, California

These two low-income housing projects
are models for what imaginative and
carefully planned design can do to
create vital and colorful living environ-
ments diat celebrate community and
family with limited resources and bud-
get. Built for about $50 per square foot,
each project supports and enhances
family life in innovative ways.

Daybreak Grove has been designed
for single-parent families, providing a
world of security and stability for fami-
lies determined to make it back into the
mainstream. Inspired by the traditional
California bungalow court - a central
space surrounded by clustered build-
ings - each of the 13 units is configured
around a small internal patio which
provides the family with private outdoor
living space and ensures natural light
and cross ventilation in every room.
Each apartment's compact size is en-
hanced by a variety of outdoor spaces
including both front and back porches
and yards.

At Sunrise Place, the focus is on
the multigenerational family. Here, the
three-bedroom townhouses are orga-
nized around a central courtyard - the
social center of the community - recall-
ing the plazas of Latin America. Flexible

unit plans respond to the changing
needs of families, with extra space for
.mother bedroom, office space or living
area. Double-height stairs and loft
spaces make the compact plans spacious
and airy.

In both projects, the orientation of
each kitchen to the courtyard acknowl-
edges its prominence as the focus of
family life and provides parents with the
opportunity to supervise their children
while preparing meals. The exterior
spaces support community interaction
and include grassy play areas, laundro-
mat, outdoor theater, fruit trees, and
vegetable gardens.

Both projects are humane, affordable
and welcoming environments that have
a wonderful sense of scale and create
nurturing public spaces.

Credits:

Department of Housing and
Urban Developuicnl.
Pacific/Hawaii Field Office

North County Housing Foundation

Davids Killorv

J"

ARCHITECTURE

Independence Square

Washington, DC

The challenge for the architects of
Independence Square was to design
on a narrow lot 150 feet wide and 1,100
feet long the headquarters for two fed-
eral agencies with very different needs
and identities, creating a visually unified
whole. The buildings for the Office of
the Comptroller of the Currency and the
National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration (NASA) relate to one another
through the use of similar materials,
color and textures. Individual identities
are established by differences in size,
variations in detail and subtle design
elements such as the curved wall at the
end of the NASA building.

Independence Square is also remark-
able for its thoughtfully designed pedes-
trian streetscapes and its interior and

rooftop spaces. Lobbies combine stone,
wood and metal details, as well as art
and special lighting effects, in ways that
are simultaneously impressive and
inviting. Roof gardens for occupants
offer dramatic views of the Capitol and
other landmarks.

The design of Independence Square
is both functional and practical. Built
by a private developer and leased to the
General Services Administration, the
partners were able to meet the federal
government's needs and keep construc-
tion costs in the low to moderate range
without compromising quality. Not only
are the buildings aesthetically compel-
ling, but they are also energy efficient,
fully American for Disability Act (ADA)
compliant and flexible enough to accom-
modate future changes in technology
and layout.

Credits:

General Services Administration,
National Capital Region

National Aeronautics and
Space Administration

Boston Properties, Inc.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, PC

Lowell Performance Pavilion

Lowell, Massachusetts

This project is a wonderful example of
civic architecture. With its modest scale
and chaste detailing, the Lowell Perfor-
mance Pavilion makes the point that
good building does not have to be grand
or flamboyant to be successful. Running
140 feet along a canal, the open-air steel
structure defines a critical edge for two
urban spaces: the canal walk on one side
and Boarding House Park on the other.
As a stop on the trolley line, it becomes
a ceremonial portal. It is also a pleasant
pedestrian link between two major park
buildings of Booth Mills and the re-
stored Boarding House. Finally, it is a
landmark serving as the preferred venue
for celebrations and cultural events.

Functionally, the pavilion supports
many activities that encourage the kind
of vigorous public life that is essential in
a democratic society. Facilitating perfor-
mances, the trellis incorporates the
structure and power supply for theater
lighting, sound equipment and scenery.
With vines growing up the columns and
around the arches, the building is a

30

ARCH

T E C T U R E

relaxing and sheltered resting place.
With temporary kiosks and booths, it is
transformed into a festival marketplace.
The choice of steel as a material is a
welcome counterpoint to the long brick
facades of old industrial buildings,
adding a sense of excitement and vitality
to the environment. The pavilion offers
an effective hierarchy of major and
minor spaces. And while the framing
and arched motifs recall eras past, these
elements are in no way sentimental but
ultimately convey their contemporary
roots.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,
National Park Service

The Lowell Historic
Preservation Commission

Brown & Rowe, Inc.

William Rawn Associates, Architects

Lucerne Gardens

Boston, Massachusetts

In spite of the need, truly creative solu-
tions to the low-income housing prob-
lem are hard to come by. That is what
makes Lucerne Gardens so special. In a
deteriorated and long-neglected area of
Boston, this undertaking is a symbol of
hope, and design has played an impor-
tant role in its realization. To reinvigo-
rate a sense of community and maintain
the scale of the neighborhood, Lucerne
Garden's 45 two- and three-bedroom
units are distributed among 1 8 residen-
tial buildings that, along with a separate
community center, fill city blocks and
reclaim the street as a place for people.
The gabled roofs, clapboard siding,
dormer windows and porches reflect
the architectural details of the area.
The community center is reminiscent
of a New England carriage house and
provides an inviting environment for
pot luck suppers, block parties and local
celebrations such as student apprecia-
tion night. Overall, Lucerne Gardens
conveys a sense of quality and solidity.

This effort was realized through a
partnership among private and public-

lenders and was designed with signifi-
cant input from the community. To

contain costs, units were standardized
and grouped together in three- and four-
story buildings. In addition, significant
parts of the framing were prefabricated.
All structures are energy efficient and
were built over an 1 1 -month period. To
help assure that the development meets
its social objectives, a resident coordina-
tor assists families needing community
services. The combination of good
design, affordability, long-term owner-
ship opportunities, resident services and
a centrally located community center are
transforming this area into a stable
neighborhood.

Credits:

Department of Housing and

Urban Development. New England Area

City of Boston.

Public Facilities Department

il

ARCHITECTURE

Oakland Federal Building

Oakland, California

It takes talent and expertise to add
nearly a million square feet of office
space to a city center in a manner that
truly enhances the urban environment.
The General Sendees Administration
(GSA) and its architects meet the chal-
lenge successfully in the new Oakland
Federal Building. The GSA focused on
the needs of building users, the sym-
bolic nature of the federal government
and courts system, the investment of
taxpayer dollars, and the potential of the
building to revitalize Oakland's strug-
gling downtown.

The complex houses a courthouse,
offices for 26 different federal agencies,
a multipurpose auditorium, and a con-
ference center. The scale of the federal
building is appropriately monumental -
a symbol of strength and stability -
incoqjorating elegant stone and metal
details as well as fountains, frescoes and
sculptures that continue a tradition of

crafted construction common to gov-
ernment buildings from eras past. Two
high-rise towers balance the geometry
of surrounding high-rise buildings,
while the more relaxed four- and two-
story pavilions of the courthouse and
conference center provide a transition
to nearby Victorian residential areas.
The twin, 18-story towers add a pleas-
ing and distinctive profile to the skyline.
An inviting landscaped plaza, dramatic,
glass-enclosed entrance rotunda with
vistas to the Victorian houses of Preser-
vation Park, and artwork integrated
throughout the design provide amenities
enjoyed by citizens, employees, pass-
ersby and numerous visiting school
groups.

The building is among the first
lease-purchase projects undertaken by
the GSA and is an example of successful
public-private cooperation that yielded
superior quality and flexibility at a price
competitive with the existing market for
office space.

Credits:

General Services Administration,
Pacific Rim Region

City of Oakland

Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz

Master Facilities Program
for the National Museum
off the American Indian

Washington, DC

Although seldom acknowledged, design
excellence is generally supported by
thoughtful and imaginative planning.
The Master Facilities Program for the
National Museum of the American
Indian is an outstanding example of
this earliest and least understood stage
of the design process. The document is
notable for its comprehensive analysis.
It reviews the proposed sites - new
exhibition facilities to be built on the
Mall in Washington, DC, and storage
and support space on the Smithsonian
campus in Suitland, Maryland. The
program comments on the breadth and
quality of the collections, explains how
materials might be used and displayed,
and proposes a detailed set of design
guidelines.

All this was achieved as a collabo-
rative effort with expert contributions
from many areas. The most valuable
input came from Native American
representatives, who conveyed key facts
about the meaning, rituals and traditions
surrounding objects in the Smithsonian's
possession. This, in turn, led to modifi-
cations in the program. For example,
the Mall facility emphasizes developing
exhibits and demonstration spaces that
show relationships among materials and

32

ARCHITECTURE

cultures rather than the compartmental-
ization of information. In Suitland, the
building is redefined as an interactive
center that goes beyond the housing
and care of collections to incorporate
research and activities related to the
preservation of Native American culture.
And finally, a "museum without walls" -
based on telecommunications technol-
ogy - is added to the proposal as a way
to link Native Americans throughout the
hemisphere to the Smithsonian facilities
and events.

Without this thorough investigation,
critical needs of the National Museum
of the American Indian would probably
have gone undiscovered and opportuni-
ties for innovation would have been lost.
In design areas not commonly explored,
this kind of creative analysis and plan-
ning is absolutely essential.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,

Office of Design and Construction

Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Inc.

Thurgood Marshall
Federal Judiciary Building

Washington, DC

This major federal building was com-
pleted four months ahead of schedule
and ten percent under budget. More-
over, it was built by a private developer/
architect team without capital funds
from the government and will revert to
federal ownership at the end of a 30-year
lease. Certainly these facts merit recog-
nition, but over the long-term, the
Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary
Building in Washington, DC, will be
remembered and honored because of
its extraordinary planning and design.

Located on Columbus Circle, a
prominent public space hallmarked
by a grand fountain and a vista down
Delaware Avenue to the Capitol, the
Marshall Building, and the City Post
Office frame Union Station, the Beaux
Arts gateway to the nation's capital. The
building follows the street line, creating
a critical architectural edge that defines
and contains the east side of the circle.
The building uses a contemporary
vocabulary of volumes and openings

that respectfully recalls the caden< e,
rhythms and structure of the station
without becoming a pastiche of historic
elements.

Equally important is the way the
building responds to the scale ot its
surroundings. Upper floors are terraced
back behind a strong cornice so the
building does not appear too massivc
or tall. Adjacent to the station, facades
are relatively solid and highlighted with
arches. Along the street, facing a row
of traditional Victorian townhouses. the
facade has more glazing and is articu-
lated with layers of well-proportioned
rectangular openings.

The public entrance to the Marshall
Building is a landscaped atrium that
provides an attractive view for interior
offices. With other employee-friendly
amenities such as a daycare facility and
fitness center, this edifice creates a
model work environment.

Credits:

Architect of the Capitol

Boston Properties, Inc.

Edward Larrabee Barnes/
John M. Y. Lee & Partners

ARCHITECTURE

U.S. Border Station

International Falls, Minnesota

Crossing a border can sometimes be
an uncomfortable, tense and unpleasant
experience. To help alleviate this anxi-
ety, the design of the U.S. Border Sta-
tion in International Falls, Minnesota, is
playful. Located in an industrial zone,
the site features railroad tracks, elevated
pipe lines and warehouses. Faced with
limited Rinding and a harsh winter
climate, the General Services Adminis-
tration requested that the building be
"as functional as possible" and con-
structed with materials "selected for
their ability to withstand the elements."
The designers responded to these
challenges with a blend of pragmatism,
joy and finesse.

To avoid interfering with utility
easements on the property, the station
is conceived of as a bridge to minimize
ground use. Next, to infuse the project
with color and vitality, the architects
exploit references to the American flag
as a theme for building details. Tower

elements are a deep blue accented with
a regular pattern of white squares. The
exterior of the bridge space is red with
white stripes. Interiors are developed
with a similarly bold vocabulary. And in
the most literal allusion to the flag, the
red and white stripes of the main inspec-
tion canopy wave over and symbolically
shelter all who enter the United States as
they drive through the inspection lanes.

It is important to understand that
this optimistic expression of the Ameri-
can experience was achieved within
the original strict parameters of the
commission. Brightly colored surfaces
are coated with durable resins and
polymers for longevity. The entire
structure is well insulated, and windows
are designed to maximize views while
keeping heat loss to a minimum. The
total cost of the project was slightly
below budget.

Credits:

General Services Administration,
Great Lakes Region

Architectural Resources. Inc.

United States
Embassy Chancery

Muscat, Oman

Given the high potential for terrorism
around the world today, U.S. embassies
must be safe and secure. As a result,
security measures for U.S. embassies
read like the program for designing a
fortress: perimeter walls surrounding a
complex must resist breach by vehicles,
climbing, prying, hammering and saw-
ing; access must be channeled through
a minimum number of controlled en-
trances; only 15 percent of each exterior
structural bay can be glazed; building
service systems must be designed in
parallel networks with utilities that serve
secure areas made accessible only to
U.S. personnel with security clearances;
and the list goes on. In this context, the
chancery in Muscat, Oman, demon-
strates that it is possible to meet these
stringent requirements and still create a

34

ARCHITECTURE

facility that is both sensitive to its cul-
tural setting and establishes a positive
image for the United States.

Responding to guidelines intended
to ensure the Islamic character of public
architecture in Oman, the chancery is
enriched with arched openings and
colorful tile and marble details that give
the structure an appropriate monumen-
tal profile while providing a play of
human-scaled geometric patterns
throughout the complex. As in other
buildings in the hot climate, facades are
layered so windows are shaded by
loggias and have their vistas framed by
piers and arches. The plan, with its
series of courtyards and gardens, also
reflects the regional style, creating many
pleasant, even intimate, enclosed spaces
graced with plants and pools of water.
In the final analysis, the chancery re-
spects the local traditions of the workers
and visitors who will use the facility,
without compromising the forward-
looking character of its mission and the
innumerable security measures essential
in the contemporary political climate.
It complements the culture of Oman
while making an architectural statement
that expresses America's ideals and
values.

Credits:

Department of State,

Office of Foreign Buildings Operations

Polshek and Partners Architects

Women's Rights
National Historical Park

Wesleyan Chapel Block

Seneca Falls, New York

The simplicity of this memorial is its
strength. The Women's Rights National
Historical Park, built around the ruins
of Wesleyan Chapel (home of the first
women's rights convention in the
United States held during July 1848),
blends into the Seneca Falls townscape,
much as the chapel did when it was
originally constructed in 1843. Preserv-
ing the existing fragmentary nature of
the historic building is a symbol of the
intermittent attention historically de-
voted to the struggle for the rights of
women.

A roof shelters the ruins and stone
walls, marks the street edge and creates
a gateway to the park. Off to the side,
terraced seating and a sloped lawn
articulate a resting place where individu-
als might take a moment for quiet medi-
tation or groups might gather to cel-
ebrate and continue the tradition of
public dialogue that has hallmarked the
history of this site. An additional exte-
rior feature is a Milestone wall along the
edge of the lawn where, as a focus for
contemplation, water flows over an
inscription of the Declaration of Senti-
ments - the centerpiece manifesto of the
1848 convention. To complete the
experience, the Village Hall that adjoins
the open space is now used as a visitor
and administrative center.

Everything about the project is
modest - even its final cost was ten
percent below budget. But great skill lias
been used to bring together elements of
urban planning, architecture, preserva-
tion, art, landscape and interpretive
design to create a powerful landmark
that captures the history of this place
without sentimentally reconstructing it.
In the end. those who pass through this
park leave with the understanding that
the struggle for women's rights is an
integral and ongoing facet of the pursuit
of civil rights for all Americans.

Credits:

Department of the Interior.
National Park Sen ice.
Denver Service Center

Ann Wills Marshall

Ray Kinoshita

Robert Silman Associates

A. E. Bye Associates. Landscape Architects

The Stein Partnership, Vn him ts

15

PRESERVATION

Spreckels Temple of Music

San Francisco, California

In a few years, people will be making
plans to celebrate the centennial of the
Spreckels Temple of Music, the elegant
Beaux Arts backdrop for outdoor music
performances and civic events in
Golden Gate Park. Not so long ago,
however, it wasn't certain that would be
the case. Designed in 1899, this home
for Opera in the Park and Sunday Band
Concerts was damaged during the 1906
earthquake and repaired, and then
damaged again in the 1989 Loma Prieta
quake. After this last disaster, it was
fenced off and went unused for more
than four years. There was concern that
the brick and terra-cotta band shell
would not survive another seismic jolt.
Pairs of columns - which in plan ex-
tended more than 50 feet to either side
of the stage - had shifted noticeably
from their original positions.

In 1990, a combination of federal
and local funds became available to
repair and stabilize the Temple. But
there was a dilemma: should the sand-
stone columns, which needed to have

36

their cores drilled and strengthened
with reinforced concrete, be dismantled
and rebuilt, or should this work be
implemented in place? The columns also
needed re-plumbing and re-centering.
After significant debate, it was decided
to preserve everything in place, and the
contractor completed the upgrade
without causing further damage. Other
improvements were also executed,
including reinforcing the dome of the
band shell, adding a new roof slab and
refurbishing details of the building.

On July 3, 1994, Spreckels Temple
of Music reopened. Visibly, the exterior
has not changed. But within, a new
structural skeleton provides assurance
that people will be enjoying this civic
landmark as it gracefully crosses the
threshold into the 21st century.

Credits:

Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Region IX

The City and County of

San Francisco Bureau of Architecture

Cygna/Olmm/Pegasus

Carey & Company

Wiss Janney Elstner Associates

Page and Turnbull

Rehabilitation of the
Old State House

Boston, Massachusetts

This building, constructed in 1713,
is a jewel in Massachusetts and a part
of American history that has survived
numerous transformations. Originally
the seat of colonial government, the
Old State House has served as the city
hall, a commercial center, and the venue
for state government. Its charred roof
beams attest to damage from several
fires, and in the early twentieth century,
two floors were raised to accommodate
subway construction. Since 1881, the
structure has been maintained by the
Bostonian Society as a museum of
Boston history.

In 1987, the city and the National
Park Service decided the landmark
needed a major restoration. But in a
building with many lives, what is the
appropriate restoration strategy and to
what extent can contemporary technol-
ogy and accessibility standards be intro-
duced? Responses to these questions
came from a team of specialists who

P R E S E R V A T

O N

determined that the best approach
should be to maintain the overall integ-
rity of the original design, to enhance
the current use of the Old State House
as a museum, and to acknowledge the
building's rich history. To these ends,
brick and woodwork as well as the
decorative Royal Lion and Unicorn
symbols were restored, air conditioning
and a sprinkler system were unobtru-
sively installed, lifts were incorporated
to provide first-floor access for wheel-
chair-bound visitors, an 1830s clock
was remounted on the facade and interi-
ors were refurbished to demonstrate
how, over the past 110 years, the colo-
nial rooms had been "restored" in three
very different ways.

It was a complex job handled with
sophistication and good judgment while
respecting the past and providing for the
future. Thus, as the Old State House
completes three centuries of service, it
remains an example of living architec-
ture.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,
National Park Service,
Denver Service Center, the
North Atlantic Region and the
Boston National Historical Park

Goody, Clancy and Associates, Inc.

The City of Boston

The Bostonian Society

A.J. Martini, Inc.

Washington Monument Entry
Level Lobby Renovation

Washington, DC

In design, little things really do mean
a lot. Looking at size and budget alone,
the Washington Monument Entry Level
Lobby Renovation is quite modest. In
terms of impact, however, this restora-
tion/interior design project greatly
enhances the character and quality of
one of the nation's most familiar land-
marks. The objective was to redesign
the Washington Monument's entry
lobby - an area that had been modified
at various times since opening in 1888 -
in a way that was more respectful of the
historic and symbolic significance of the
space.

At the East Portal and West Cham-
ber, hung ceilings and marble wainscot-
ting were removed to reveal the full
height and original dressed marble walls
of these impressive spaces. Then, blend-
ing art and architecture, the West Cham-
ber was used as the setting for a life-size
bronze statue of George Washington.
In the South Corridor waiting room, the
1904 marble details were cleaned, new
light fixtures installed, and the walls
adorned with bronze garlands in a motif
recalling designs from Mount Vernon.
Finally, an Egyptian-styled limestone
surround as well as bronze doors and
a bronze relief sculpture were used to
distinguish the elevator as a monumental
gateway.

Innovative historical research was
conducted to evaluate the feasibility of
all these changes. Fiber optic cable and
a video camera were used to get a "pic-
ture" of the space behind various mate-
rial layers to determine the condition of

finishes and how to remove them and
make sure modifications would not
compromise the integrity of the struc-
ture. The overall effect is a processional
which imparts a sense of awe and quiet
reverence that makes a lasting first
impression as the entry to tliis treasured
monument.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,
National Park Sen ice,
Division of Exhibits,
Harpers Fern Center

Notter + Associates, PC

Skylight Studios. Inc.

;:

INTERIOR DESIGN

Freer Gallery of Art:
Restoration and Reinstallation

Washington, DC

The Freer Gallery of Art. known for its
fine collection of Asian and American
art, had not undergone major renova-
tions since it opened in 1923. In the
intervening years, the building's systems
and general appearance had slowly
deteriorated, and curatorial, technical
and visitor requirements had changed
significandy. To address these problems
comprehensively, the museum was
closed to the public in 1988 to update
the systems, refurbish 25,000 square
feet of public space, and reinstall all 20
galleries of exhibits.

The objective was to maintain the
character and spatial qualities of the
Italian Renaissance-stvle structure while

creating a truly modern facility. Plaster
walls were removed and replaced with
walls of more durable and easily repaired
materials. The building's 1,550 skylight
units were redone with glazing that
reduced harmful emissions and mini-
mized seasonal changes in illumination.
Spotlights were installed to emphasize
individual works of art.

Another major facet of the project
was to develop an exhibition case that
was both more secure and easily acces-
sible. The result - which has attracted
the interest of curators from around the
world - is a beautifully crafted walnut
cabinet base built around an aluminum
frame with dust-proof glass tops that are
raised and lowered on treaded stainless
steel supports. Other refinements to the
interior include new corridor fighting
fixtures that show off the vaulting of the
hallways, a graphic design strategy that
covers everything from signage to bro-
chure panels, a revised gallery color
scheme, and restoration of the
museum's courtyard and landscaping to
the design originally proposed. The
modifications, while subtle, are impor-
tant improvements to the museum. The
project was completed under budget,
and since its reopening in 1993 the
number of visitors has nearly doubled.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Freer Gallery of Art and
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the
Office of Design and Construction

Exhibition Design at the
National Gallery of Art

Washington, DC

The Department of Design and Instal-
lation at the National Gallery of Art
designs and installs from 15 to 25 major
special exhibitions each year. The nine
exhibitions submitted, dating from the
years 1991-1994, were selected to
represent the range, diversity and quality
of their installations. During the past
quarter century, the department has
designed more than 300 exhibitions and
through its many innovative achieve-
ments has been recognized as a world
leader in museum installation design.

Museum policy mandates that each
exhibition be experienced in a setting
appropriate to the aesthetic, art histori-
cal, and architectural approach of the
installation design. The results of this
approach are as varied as the themes of
the exhibitions and the works of art they
contain. Using the extraordinarily flex-
ible spaces in both the modern I.M. Pei
East Building and the neoclassical John
Russell Pope West Building, the designs

38

INTERIOR DES

G N

and their educational dimension engage
the visitor in a dialogue between objects
and ideas. The visitor moves through
spaces that are detailed to reflect the
concepts of the exhibition.

Many of the exhibitions represented
in this selection used innovative lighting
technology such as fiber optics, as well
as state-of-the-art conservation environ-
ments for particularly fragile pieces. All
exhibitions at the National Gallery are
designed for accessibility, with special
attention given to pedestal heights, label
sizes and adequate lighting. Efficiencies
in building techniques and the recycling
of cases and architectural elements have
become an integral part of the design
process in order to reduce costs. Incor-
porating economy, technology', accessi-
bility and a strong underlying didactic
theme has placed exhibition design at
the National Gallery of Art in the fore-
front of its field.

Credits:

National Gallery of Art.
Design Department

National Postal Museum

Washington, DC

If the idea of a postal museum conjures
up images of tweezers and magnifying
glasses, be prepared for a suqirise. This
lively gallery is located in the atrium of
a landmark building that has been reno-
vated for use as 850,000 square feet of
prime federal office space. From the
street entrance, the visitor moves
through a grand Beaux Arts lobby and
down escalators to a courtyard occupied
by a horse-drawn carriage, a railroad
mail car, and a couple of suspended
airplanes. Visitors can actually use the
full-service post office that is part of the
design, research a particular question in
the library and special collections area,
or wander through exhibits ranging from
"Moving the Mail" to "Customers and
Communities" to "Stamps and Stories."
All around are architectural elements
that recall materials and systems related
to the post office. The ceiling over the
escalators is embossed with graphics
and perforations that mimic a sheet of

stamps. Metal frames and trusses refer
to gallery catwalks above sorting rooms
and the conveyor systems used to move
mail. Railings arc detailed as cancella-
tion marks. In addition, an abundance
of historic photos, postal artwork and
post office paraphernalia complement
the overall design.

The merit of this scheme, however,
goes beyond the quality of the museum
itself. Here is a gallery - a part of the
prestigious Smithsonian Institution
that, because of its location in a major
office building, becomes an integral part
of everyday life. The exhibits contribute
a unique dynamic experience to a tradi-
tional building program. This is a mu-
seum people can actually enjoy on their
way to work.

Credits:

United States Postal Service,
National Postal Museum

Smithsonian Institution,
National Postal Museum

Hines Interests Limited Partnership

Florance Eichbaum EsocojfKing Architects

Miles Fridberg Molinaroli

19

ENGINEERING

Environmental River
Engineering on the Mississippi

The Environmental River Engineering
project was implemented in 1970 by
the St. Louis District of the U.S. Army
Coqis of Engineers to correct the lack
of biodiversity in the Middle Mississippi
River area. In the early nineteenth
century, the river was narrow and deep,
contained by stable banks lined with vast
forests. As these forests were cleared,
the banks deteriorated, the river wid-
ened and grew shallow, and navigation
became dangerous. Near the turn of the
century, the Corps of Engineers began
a bank stabilization program to ensure
safe river traffic. The navigational struc-
tures imposed upon the river ensured a
clear channel for shipping but severely
damaged the river's ecology.

The Environmental River Engineer-
ing project's goal was to reverse man's
destruction by stabilizing the river banks
with navigational structures that work
in harmony with the natural laws of the
river. The river presents a dynamic and
fast-changing set of conditions calling

for a great number of specific solutions.
Each navigational structure was designed
individually, to fit specific locations
along the river. Many newly designed
structures were model tested before
being installed in the river, avoiding the
cost risks associated with field testing.
Tests conducted by the Illinois and
Missouri State Departments of Conser-
vation show that the variety of dikes,
revetments, and side channel improve-
ments implemented over the past 20
years of the project's history have radi-
cally improved the biological conditions
along the Middle Mississippi. This envi-
ronmental goal is being accomplished
without impeding traffic through the
main navigation channel. The project's
success makes it a model for other major
river systems.

Credits:

Department of Defense,

U.S. Army, Department of the Army,

Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District

Marathon Battery
Superfund Site Design

Cold Spring, New York

At the Marathon Battery plant in Cold
Springs, New York, one of the North-
east's worst hazardous waste sites,
contamination from toxic heavy metal
waste discharges threatened local resi-
dents and a pristine Audubon wildlife
sanctuary. Through the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensa-
tion, Liability Act (Superfund), the
Environmental Protection Agency and
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly
administered and managed an effort to
develop a cost-effective design to clean
up the site.

The Marathon Battery project took
advantage of several innovative, cost-
saving features. A sophisticated soil,
water, sediment and vegetative plan,
coupled with geostatistical modeling,
sharply reduced project scope and cost.
Value engineering, a formal evaluation
process developed for large-scale waste
water treatment projects, identified $8
million of savings. A generic fixation

40

ENGINEERING

technology was developed that elimi-
nated the need for expensive proprietary
formulas, thereby expanding competi-
tion among construction contractors
and reducing costs.

The Marathon Battery Superfund
Site epitomizes the success of both
federal and private sector partnerships
with interagency partnerships. This
project moved forward on budget and
schedule, achieving technical goals and
objectives. The remedial design success-
fully applied innovative management,
engineering and technological advances
to clean up a hazardous waste site that
threatened nearby residents and ecosys-
tems.

Credits:

Department of Defense,
U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers,
Kansas City District and the
New York District

Environmental Protection Agency

Malcolm Piniie, Inc.

Point Marion
Lock Cofferdam

Point Marion, Pennsylvania

The construction of an entirely new lock
to replace the 70-year-old Point Marion
lock and dam facility along the Monon-
gahela River in Dunkard Township,
Pennsylvania, had the potential to cause
serious interruption of commercial river
traffic. It also would have involved the
excavation of more than a mile of river
bank and required the relocation of
portions of both a state highway and
railroad tracks.

The U.S. Army Coqjs of Engineers
decided instead to integrate the new
lock into the existing lock and dam
system. The new lock is located ten feet
landward and 1.3 feet below the existing

lock's wall and foundations. To prevent
collapse of the old wall and ensure its
continued use during construction of
the new system, project engineers used
more than 500 large capacity 250-ton
rock anchors to prevent the wall from
sliding or overturning onto the excava-
tion for the new lock, /vii extensive
computer instrumentation system was
implemented to continuously monitor
the cofferdam for structural integrity.
The innovative use of the anchor
and monitoring systems advanced the
knowledge and expertise of the Army
Corps in river engineering while produc-
ing significant cost savings. The innova-
tive approach to design combined with
site measurement ot performance proves
an excellent model for future projects.

Credits:

Department of Defense,

U.S. Army, ( !orps of 1 ogineers,

Pittsburgh District

11

ENGINEERING

United States

Naval Academy Bridge

Annapolis, Maryland

The U.S. Naval Academy Bridge is the
first successful major bridge design
competition project to reach completion
in the past 100 years. It is the culmina-
tion of the extraordinary collaborative
efforts of federal and state agencies to
involve leaders in the bridge engineering
field and to challenge them to think in
technical, economic and aesthetic terms.

The Federal Highway Administra-
tion typically requires the preparation
of at least two independent designs and

construction bids for a bridge project
of this magnitude. In view of the state's
desire to implement the competition
process, the Federal Highway Adminis-
tration agreed to accept the winning
concept from the competition and to
forgo the requirement for alternative
proposals.

The planned bridge was required
to carry Maryland Route 450 through
the Naval Academy grounds and over
the Severn River, serving as the eastern
gateway to Maryland's historic capital of
Annapolis. The site required a structure
that would suitably respect and enhance
the historic and scenic nature of the site
and enrich the area environmentally
while maintaining a 75-foot minimum
clearance.

The Maryland State Highway
Administration and the Governor's
Office of Art and Culture cosponsored
an international design competition.
The jury included four bridge engineers,
an architect, a landscape architect, a
sculptor, and representatives of environ-
mental groups, historic groups and the
local community.

Credits:

Department of Transportation,
Federal Highway Administration,
Maryland Division

Maryland State Highway Administration

Greiner, Inc.

Solar Energy
Research Facility

Golden, Colorado

The Solar Energy Research Facility
was designed and built as a model to
help realize the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory's mission to develop
renewable energy technologies, improve
energy efficiency, advance related
science and engineering, and facilitate
commercialization.

Twelve energy-saving technologies
are used in the facility, resulting in
significant operating cost savings.
These technologies include daylighting,
energy-efficient fluorescent lighting,
evaporative cooling, a trombe wall, and
an exhaust heat recovery system. Some
of these technologies will pay for them-
selves in three years or less and represent
a 30 percent reduction in operating
costs when compared to a similar,
conventionally equipped facility.

The facility's design also emphasizes
functionality and flexibility. It incorpo-
rates three contiguous modules built
along the natural contours of the land.
Each module contains an office pod and
a laboratory pod. The laboratories are
uniform and could, within a given group,
be easily used for other purposes. Of-
fices and laboratories are clustered for

42

ENGINEERING

maximum synergy and efficiency. The
facility uses state-of-the-art safety fea-
tures in building air management and
utility efficiency.

The philosophy behind the distinc-
tive design and energy-conserving
features is one of devising and deploying
technologies in harmony with the natural
balance of ecosystems. It is more than
a cost-effective building with an innova-
tive modular design. It is truly a labora-
tory of the future - one that successfully
achieves our nation's goals of a clean
environment and energy efficiency.

Credits:

Department of Energy, Golden Field Office,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Anderson DeBartolo Pan

Talmadge Memorial
Bridge Replacement

Savannah, Georgia

The Talmadge Memorial Bridge
Replacement Project demonstrates that
a beautiful bridge ecjual to the best in the
world can be designed and constructed
using the most economical materials
and pragmatic methods. The Federal
Highway Administration, the Georgia
Department of Transportation and a
group of private design consultants
engaged in a partnership to replace the
old Talmadge Memorial Bridge with a
bridge that would provide increased
access by ship to the Port of Savannah
without limiting access to the City of
Savannah by automobile.

A cable-stayed structure was deter-
mined to be the most economical means
of meeting functional requirements,
aesthetic goals and site restrictions. This
state-of-the-art structural system has
rarely been employed in the United
States. Formal design guidelines had

not been established for such systems.
The unique structural system employed
precast, prestressed concrete members
erected in segments, then post tensioned
together. The completed bridge spans
7,500 feet with a main navigational
passage 1 .100 feet wide and 185 feet
high. The new structure removes all
piers from the river channel and pro-
vides a modern four-lane highway into
the city.

The bridge meets stringent func-
tional requirements through an inspiring
level of mastery in a technology that is
relatively new to this country. The bridge
also acts as a powerful new gateway to
Savannah, synthesizing the best in new
construction technologies into a visually
integrated form.

Credits:

Department of Transportation.
Federal Highway Administration,
Georgia Division

Georgia Department of Transportation.
Office of Bridge Design

DRC Consultants. Inc.

Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas

i;

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Amtrak AMD- 103
Passenger Diesel Locomotive

The first locomotive specifically
designed for passenger service in more
than 40 years, the Amtrak AMD-103
Passenger Diesel Locomotive incorpo-
rates new safer)-, modeling, environmen-
tal and operating features. Because the
locomotive meets maximum weight
allowances and universal clearances, it
can operate on any route of the Amtrak
national railway system.

Using a lightweight, aerodynamic
car body, the locomotive can reach a
maximum speed of 1 03 miles per hour.
Integrating the fuel storage tanks within
a new structural system, the designers
removed five tons of dead load and
raised the height of the tanks from eight
inches above the rail to 2 1 inches above
the rail. By using the structural beams as
walls, the thickness of tire fuel tanks was
increased threefold.

The diesel engine's new design
increased horsepower by 33 percent
with the same total weight as previous

locomotives and, as a result, the Amtrak
AMD-103 Passenger Diesel Locomotive
has had an average of 20 percent savings
in fuel consumption. As fuel costs
contribute significantly to the cost of
Amtrak service, the locomotive plays a
significant role in reducing the growth
rate of Amtrak" s federal operating grant.
The design process included exten-
sive user consultation. Officials within
the Federal Railway Administration, the
National Transportation Safety Board,
the Association of American Railroads,
the Transportation Research Board,
and the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers were all consulted to review
the design for operating comfort, visibil-
itv. crash worthiness, and occupational
safer\'.

Credits:

Department of Transportation.
Federal Railroad Administration

National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
Office of Engineering/Mechanical Services

General Electric Transportation Systems

60K Loader Cab Interior

Organizing and positioning more than
100 interface items, such as switches,
knobs, and dials, the 60K Loader Cab
Interior meets the needs of a variety of
operators in a tightly restricted work-
space. The 60K. an aircraft loader built
for the U.S. Air Force, required an ergo-
nomic cab interior that was safe, com-
fortable and capable of accomodating
a variety of operators. .AH this had to
be accomplished in a very small space
while working within the restrictions
of a predetermined cab size.

The cab interior was developed
during the Persian Gulf War. As a
result, the designers had limited access
to users and little time for field testing.
They used interviews, photographs and
videotapes to assess the problems with
current aircraft loading equipment and
built an ergonomic model in which all
the controls could be easily adjusted.
With input from both engineers and
users, the designers made appropriate
adjustments and moved readily from
the preliminary model to full scale CAD
drawings. The design team then incor-
porated feedback from the manufacturer
of the cab.

This research and model based
design process proved highly effective.
For example, one of the interesting
discoveries made during the research
phase concerned visibility. .Although
aircraft loaders traditionally had been
designed to be operated while looking
out tire front window (like a truck), the
designers found that operators actually
leaned out of the right window 70 per-
cent of the time in order to monitor their

44

INDUSTRIAL DES

G N

loads and communicate with people on
the cargo deck. Taking advantage of
their ergonomic modeling process, the
designers made the right wall of the
prototype cab adjustable, enabling the
team to determine which angle would be
best for allowing the operator to lean out
of the cab easily.

The open, participatory product
development process allowed the Air
Force user-advocate, who had operated
similar equipment for over 10 years, to
influence product development. Because
re-configurations were simple to make
during the design phase, the team was
able to produce a superior product that
effectively and economically meets the
needs of the Air Force.

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force,
System Program Management

Fitch, Inc.

Teledyne Brown

Backpack Personal
Cooling System

The Backpack Personal Cooling System
is a lightweight, form fitting and low
profile unit that resulted from a unique
partnership between the design commu-
nity and the federal government. Using
technologies originally developed for
astronauts, and modified for race car
drivers, the system was designed for
soldiers using chemical weapon en-
sembles in the Persian Gulf, allowing
them to stay cool in temperatures reach-
ing 130 degrees. This new design, in
turn, is being considered for several
civilian applications.

"Design driven", rather than
"engineering driven", the 16.5 pound
personal cooling system responds to a
variety of human factors. Working with
the project's federal program manager,
the design team surveyed previous
cooling system designs and field test
data, incorporating new concepts such
as mobile modularity into the backpack.
Rather than having to return to a repair
station, the modular cooling system
allows the user to remove the battery
or refrigeration section without tools
in as little as ten seconds. In addition,
the system is compact, easy to use and
clean, and comfortably fits both men
and women.

The project fulfills two important
goals for the Department of Defense.
First, the Backpack Personal Cooling
System contributes to the department's
development of the most technologically
well-equipped soldier in the world.
Conflicts such as the Persian Gulf War,
where the threat of chemical weapons
existed, make this kind of equipment
essential. Second, the project is aligned

with government programs intended to
move Department of Defense technolo-
gies to the commercial sector.

By selecting a design team with a
unique background (one which had
experience developing equipment for
the racing community rather than the
military), the Department of Defense
created a situation that allowed it to take
a fresh look at the problem. The result-
ing solution is an excellent example of
innovative and responsive design.

Credits:

The Department of Defense,
U.S. Army, \nm Natick Research,
Development and Engineering < lentei and
the U.S. Army Soldier S> stems ( lommand

Carlson Technology Incorporated

15

GRAPHIC DES

G N

Exhibition Catalogue for
Carlos Collazo 1956-1990

Exposicion Homenaje
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Carlos Collazo was a Puerto Rican
painter, ceramist, and graphic designer
who died of AIDS at the age of 34.
Designed for people without access to
the artist's work or his contribution to
our society. Exhibition Catalogue for
Carlos Collazo 1956-1990 Exposicion
Homenaje is a unique contribution to
the history- of art in Puerto Rico.

Reflecting the social and artistic
context of the artist, the catalogue
incorporates traditional oral history
with theoretical background. The initial
investigation and documentation of
the artist's work, as well as biographic
material, had to be assembled by the
designer. By making the investigation
of the artist as thorough as possible, the
catalogue can be used as a reference for
further studies.

Limited to an edition of 1,000
copies, the catalogue utilizes a riveted
binding to withstand intensive library
use. By establishing different levels of
discussion within the format, the text
mirrors the artist's ability to work in
different disciplines. To navigate the
material, the designers have created a
unique system of iconography. The
chronological display of the artist's
work also demonstrates the changes in
Collazo's work after he was diagnosed
as HIV positive.

With a scarcity of books on Puerto
Rican art, Exhibition Catalogue for
Carlos Collazo 1956-1990 Exposicion
Homenaje is an opportunity for the
public to understand the artist's work
and his relationship to our society.

Credits:

National Endowment for the Arts,
Museum Program

Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena

J TP #

IRS Customer Service Guide

The IRS Customer Service Guide is
the culmination of extensive efforts by
the IRS to develop an easy to use job aid
for taxpayer assistors who answer mil-
lions of taxpayer questions every year.
The guide is technically accurate, easy
to understand, and logically designed.
Originally an unwieldy, ten-pound
loose-leaf binder, the guide now has a
professional appearance that belies its
ability to withstand the duress of daily
use. Before the guide was developed,
the assistor had no standard tool from
which to work. User participation was
an essential part of the design process in
the form of focus groups, special testing,
surveys, and questionnaires. Changes in
the guide's accent color reflect yearly
revisions while the use of crack-and-peel
sheets allows for updates during the
year. Designed for optimum use in a
small workspace, the guide uses typo-
graphic and color coded indicators to

46

GRAPHIC DESIG

N

help assistors provide timely, accurate
and consistent answers to taxpayer
questions. Limiting topics to one page
wherever possible and providing
enough space for the assistor to add
comments expedites finding the correct
information.

The new guide has resulted in a
more productive assistor, better public
perception of the IRS, and more accu-
rate and consistent answers. In 1988,
the national accuracy rate for technical
and procedural questions was 52 per-
cent. By 1994, the accuracy rate had
risen to 91 percent. In testimony before
Congress, the General Accounting-
Office credited the new guide for the
improvement in accuracy.

Credits:

Department of the Treasury,
Internal Revenue Service,
Taxpayer Services

Cox 8c Associates, Inc.

Exploring Maps
Teaching Packet

Based on the history of cartography, the
Exploring Maps Teaching Packet was
designed to accompany the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey's (USGS) traveling ex-
hibit Visual Geography. The poster and
teaching modules are interdisciplinary
and can be used for high school classes
in geography, English, science, math
history and world studies.

The two posters form a ten-foot
timeline of maps from prehistoric times
to the space age. The back of the posters
includes two timelines: one with literary
excerpts on mapping, exploration, and
geography and a blank timeline that
students can use to complete their own
topics. Each panel on the back of the
poster is in 8 1/2 x 1 1 format for easy
reproduction.

One of the missions of the USGS
National Mapping Division is to provide

educational outreach that relates to earth
science and mapping information. Stafl
from the National Mapping Division
advised on the content of the posters
and teaching modules and organized the
permissions necessary for image repro-
duction. The maps were developed in
consultation with geography teachers
and the National Council for Geo-
graphic Education.

The federal government is one of the
largest producers of maps in the world,
and the art and science of cartography—
a unique expression of culture— is now
being recognized in exhibitions at muse-
ums like the Smithsonian Institution
and the Museum of Modern Art.

Credits:

Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological
Survey, National Mapping Division and Maps
Application Center

Douglas | Gallagher

17

GRAPHIC DESIGN

History of American
Agriculture Poster

By organizing significant events in the
development of American agriculture
according to subject, A History of
American Agriculture, 1776-1990,
illustrates the evolution of U.S. agricul-
ture in one accurate, attractive sweep.
The poster, designed for both students
and the general public, uses a timeline
structure to present a decade-by-decade
account of developments in areas such
as economic cycles, agricultural trade,
farm machinery, and technology.

Based on a popular timeline poster
published in 1976, the research infor-
mation was assembled, edited and
prepared by the Department of Agri-
culture's Economic Research Service.
The poster, which includes an analysis
of agriculture, economic and social
science information, depicts the intricate

developments of American agricultural
history.

Given the problem of attracting the
audience's attention while describing a
number of subjects simultaneously, A
History of American Agriculture, 1 776-
1990, displays a vast amount of informa-
tion clearly and logically. The designers,
taking advantage of electronic design
capabilities, expedited the project by
using a working poster at 50 percent of
the final size.

Public response to the poster has
been overwhelming, with sales surpass-
ing those of all other Economic Research
Service publications. The department's
Agriculture in the Classroom program is
adopting the poster for distribution to
schools around the country.

Credits:

Department of Agriculture,
Economic Research Service

Chaparos Productions Ltd.

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Mission to Planet Earth
Posters

The result of a collaboration between
the Corcoran School of Art and the
National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration (NASA), the Mission to Planet
Earth poster series highlights environ-
mentally important images of the Earth
collected by both satellite platforms and
the space shuttle. The posters use visu-
ally striking images to examine global
changes - El Nino, the ozone layer, the
biosphere, global wanning, polar ice,
clouds, and volcanoes - currently being
discussed in earth science debates.

Designed to communicate a visual
understanding of the earth sciences
through remote sensing data images,
diagrams and text, the posters allow
the user to view the issues surrounding
a given problem in their entirety. While
one side of the poster diagrams a core
scientific concept, the other details why
it is being studied from space. The
poster format also allows the images to

Pi "™

48

GRAPHIC DESIGN

be large enough to reveal important
details.

The project itself offered the rare
opportunity for design students to work
with scientists from both the Goddard
Space Center and NASA headquarters
to achieve a high standard in visual
communication for the poster series.
The posters bring technically complex
information to the general public,
explaining why it is so important to
study the Earth from space.

Credits:

National Aeronautics and
Space Administration,
Mission to Planet Earth Office

Corcoran School of Art,
Graphic Design Department

FDIC Employee Handbook

Created in 1933, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation determines the
safety and soundness of banks while
solving the problems created when these
institutions become insolvent. To meet
the demands of their work, FDIC em-
ployees must be familiar with how the
corporation is organized and how it
performs its various functions. The
redesigned FDIC Employee Handbook
focuses on these employee needs.

The new handbook provides infor-
mation about administrative and em-
ployment issues for both new and vet-
eran employees, helping them integrate
into the FDIC work environment.
Because FDIC employees are given a
number of publications during any
given year, it was essential to design a
document that would be well organized
and easy to use. Breaking the topics into
individual section areas met this de-
mand and improved the manual's role as
a valuable reference guide.

The poor reception of the previous
version of the handbook led to a rethink-
ing of the entire document. Using an
album format and a distinct pallet of
cool tints, the designer has created an

engaging and inviting publication. By
carefully editing the content of the
manual, the FDIC staff has eliminated
language that would date the material,
making the handbook useful for many
years. The design also facilitates any
updates required by subsequent edi-
tions.

Credits:

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
Office of Corporate Services, Design Unit

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19

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Modernism at Mid -Century:

The Architecture of the

United States Air Force Academy

The design and construction of the
U.S. Air Force Academy represents
one of the federal government's largest
and most important postwar architec-
tural projects. A thorough and unique
case study of the relationship between
the federal government and the design
community, Modernism at Mid-Century
documents the complex story of the
academy and how it relates to architec-
tural, military and post war history.

The layout, punctuated with
photographs and drawings, provides
a coherent and ordered format for the
vast amount of information covered by
the book's authors. The designers
adopted a system of four typefaces set
against a broad interior margin to give
form to the material. Two-and three-
page sidebars are set against a grey

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background, making them easy to
distinguish from the larger essays.

The designers' visual acuity reflects
their genuine interest in the topic. Be-
cause so much of the book is a discus-
sion of the international style, the layout
had to provide a complementary means
of presentation. While it would have
been logical to adopt a graphic style
contemporary with the International
Style, the designers instead used a
contemporary format which works with,
rather than against, the interpretive
voice of the text.

Beyond the initial public reaction
to the design of the academy, little has
been written about this significant fed-
eral design project. By presenting this
material in a clear and balanced format,
the designers have ensured that Modern-
ism at Mid-Century will stand as an
exceptional model for similar projects
aimed at documenting our national
design history.

Prisoners off Time Report

On January 30, 1991, Senator Jeff
Bingaman of New Mexico introduced
legislation to create a National Educa-
tion Commission on Time and Learn-
ing. On June 27, 1991, the Education
Council Act of 1991 was signed into
law. The following April, the commis-
sion began the work which culminated
in the visually compelling Prisoners of
Time Report, which deals with the time
constraints put on students as they
learn. The designers created a report
that goes beyond the standard white
paper format typically used for this kind
of document. By turning abstract con-
cepts into effective visuals, the report

PRISONERS OF TIME

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force,
U.S. Air Force Academy,
Department of Civil Engineering

The University of Chicago Press

ReVerb

50

GRAPHIC DESIGN

has reached a broad and diverse
audience.

Taking advantage of current elec-
tronic communication, imaging and
printing technologies, the report was
produced in an efficient, cost-effective
manner that allowed the commission
to understand exactly how the report
would appear before it was sent to the
printer.

The success of the report can be
measured in the breadth of its circula-
tion. Distributed throughout the United
States, the report has also been sent to
Canada, Germany and Japan. More than
2,000 articles about the report have
appeared since its publication, including
articles in the New York Times the Wall
Street Journal and The Washington
Post.

Credits:

Department of Education, National Education
Commission on Time and Learning

Carter/Cosgrove and Company

Planetary Maps Poster

Planetary mapping by remote sensing
has played an integral role in the devel-
opment of current environmental map-
ping and global change studies, yet the
planetary mapping program of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), which has
its origins in the Apollo Space Program,
remains obscure. By describing the
types of planetary maps available from
the USGS, the Planetary Maps Poster
both outlines the history of planetary
mapping and details current uses of
remote sensing techniques.

Working closely with the federal
employees who served as managers,
writers and editors for the project, the
designers have created an information
resource immediately appealing and
educational. Complex information on
subjects such as extraterrestrial topogra-
phy and mapping the solar system are

presented, demanding extreme care in
layout and design.

By using the history ofplanetar)

exploration as a basis for the poster, the
designers have made the materia] avail-
able to a wider audience. The Planetary
Maps Poster includes information on
the technologies used in developing the
maps, as well as describing the planets
of our solar system in minute detail.

Among the most stunning graphic
design projects supported by the Ameri-
can public, the USGS Planetary Maps
display both technical sophistication
and visual grandeur. The popularity
of the poster has brought a relative!)
unknown national resource to the atten-
tion of the American public.

Credits:

Department of the Interior.

U.S. Geological Survey, National Mapping

Division and the Mapping Applications Center

Chaparos Productions Ltd.

'.I

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Cooper-Hewitt:
A Design Resource

New York, New York

Founded in 1897, the Cooper-Hewitt
Museum, now the National Design
Museum of the Smithsonian Institution,
was created by the Hewitt sisters as a
visual library for students and workers
in the decorative arts. Since that time,
the museum has become an important
resource for designers and scholars
throughout the world with nearly
a quarter of a million objects in its
collections.

From March 1991 to August 1992,
the Cooper-Hewitt held a marathon
exhibition, Cooper-Hewitt: A Design
Resource, which displayed close to a
thousand objects. The exhibition repre-
sented four curatorial departments -
Decorative Arts. Drawings and Prints,
Textiles, and Wallcoverings, as well as
the museum's library and archives, re-
displaying a wealth of objects over an
extended period of time, the exhibition

narrated the history of the museum
and demonstrated the significance of
its collections.

Using text panels at the entrance
to each gallery, the curators presented
the development of the philosophy
behind the museum's collection. After
concentrating on European ornamenta-
tion and decoration, the museum's focus
shifted to modernism, then to universal
design and finally to the design process.
The combination of objects and text in
Cooper-Hewitt: A Design Resource
revealed the changes in the way the
museum chose objects over the course
of nearly one hundred years and em-
phasized its role as a national design
resource.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Cooper-Hewitt. National Design Museum

Drenttel Doyle Partners

Kiss + Zwigard

Revolution, Life and Labor:

Soviet Porcelains (1918-1985)
New York, New York

The Ludmilla and Henry Shapiro
collection of Soviet Propaganda porce-
lains, housed at the Cooper-Hewitt.
National Design Museum, is the only
one of its kind in the United States.
Consisting of 250 plates, vessels and
figurines, the collection brilliantly docu-
ments the major themes and motifs
important to Soviet design between
1917 and the mid 1980s.

In 1992, the Cooper-Hewitt
introduced the Shapiro collection to
the American public with an exhibition,
Revolution, Life, and Labor: Soviet
Porcelains (1918-1985). As a compan-
ion to the exhibition, a catalogue featur-
ing some of the most important pieces
from the collection was also published.
The research for this catalogue was done
by the exhibit's curator and colleagues
in Russia and represents a significant
cooperative effort in the study of Soviet
design.

Because the budget of the catalogue
would not allow for every piece to be
illustrated in color, the curator, designer,
and printer worked closely together to

52

GRAPHIC DESIGN

design a catalogue, with a limited use
of color, which conveys the strength
and importance of the porcelains. An
introductory essay provides historical
background for the porcelains and
discusses their artistic, social and
political significance.

The historic nature of the material
in Revolution, Life, and Labor: Soviet
Porcelains (1918-1985), its political
significance, and its artistic strength are
shown without compromise and reflect
the achievement of everyone involved
in the design of the catalogue.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Pentagram

Packaging the New:

Design and the American Consumer

1925-1975

New York, NY

Examining the evolution of consumer
culture in America, the Packaging
the New: Design and the American
Consumer 1925-1975 exhibition at
the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design
Museum provoked visitors to think
about the objects they buy and why
they buy them. The exhibition brought
the relationship between the designer,
advertiser and consumer into focus
and explored the results of 40 years
of consumer consumption in America.
Beginning in the Great Depression,
industrial designers quickly joined
forces with manufacturers and advertis-
ers to stimulate the economy. By intro-
ducing new products which were made
to entice consumers to buy their way to
a better life, designers like Raymond
Lowey, Walter Dowin Teague, Henry
Dryfuss, Norman Bel Geddes and
Donald Desky introduced style as the
driving force behind consumerism.

The exhibition, divided into galler-
ies, took advantage of existing exhibi-
tion cases and stock materials to eco-
nomically create a space which related
to the decade represented. Because the
Cooper-Hewitt is located in a 1903
neo-Georgian mansion, the designers
had the additional challenge of configur-
ing the spaces to prevent the elaborate
woodwork and ornamentation of
the mansion from competing with the
exhibition.

Walking through the corridors
of Packaging the New: Design and
the American Consumer L925-1975,
visitors had the opportunity to see how
they participated in America's obsession
with newness and examine the persua-
sive power of design.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution.
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Alexander Isle) Design

Boym Design Studio

-<;

GRAPHIC DESIGN

The Power of Maps

New York, New York

Demonstrating the importance of maps
as a form of visual information design,
the Power of Maps exhibition at the
Cooper-Hewitt. National Design Mu-
seum also revealed the particular points
of view and specific interests behind the
creation maps. By providing a critical
reading of the map design process, the
exhibition examined the way in which
maps are constructed.

The exhibition arranged more
than 300 maps, ancient to modern,
into thematic groups. By coordinating
the maps with printed materials as well
as a \ideo, computer mapping software
and a Map Resource room, the curators

were able to reinforce the exhibition's
message. Current mapping projects
were included to show how maps can
be used to shape public opinion on
environmental, health, and urban issues.

By using a wide variety of maps and
related materials, The Power of Maps
appealed to a wide audience. The
exhibition's achievement can be mea-
sured not only in the media coverage
and critical success but in the presenta-
tion of an expanded version of the
exhibition at the International Gallery
of the Smithsonian Institution.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Pentagram

A Royal Gift:

The 1862 Porcelain Jewel Cabinet
New York, New York

The goal of the exhibition A Royal Gift:
The 1862 Porcelain Jewel Cabinet was
to focus on one extraordinary object
from the Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum's permanent collection.
By inviting visitors to enjoy the aesthetic
experience of the jewel cabinet and
related objects, the curators presented
a fascinating study of both the cabinet
and the design process that produced it.

The central object in the exhibition
was a six-foot-tall jewelry cabinet made
at the Sevres factory in Paris during the
1820s. Presented by King Charles X
of France as a state gift to King Francis I
of the Two Sicilies, the cabinet is com-
posed almost entirely of large painted
porcelain plaques held in an ornate gilt-
bronze framework. The exhibition also
included 40 other objects, all made in
Paris during the 1820s ranging from

54

GRAPHIC DESIGN

porcelain tablewares, silk textiles, wall-
papers and fashion prints, to jewelry,
buttons and fans.

The exhibition focused on four main
avenues of design exploration for the
cabinet: Historic Context, Craftsman-
ship, Function and Fashion, and Image
and Interpretation. The cabinet and
other objects were arranged thematically
around these topics. A central, faceted
kiosk presented introductory informa-
tion using both text and images.

A Royal Gift: The 1862 Porcelain
Jewel Cabinet included a free handout
composed of a post-card size box that
opens to reveal six cards, each illustrat-
ing a part of the cabinet on one side and
a written description on the other. This
type of small, inexpensive, in-house
exhibition featuring the Cooper-Hewitt's
collections serves as a model for future
programs.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Carbone Smolan Associates

Mechanical Brides:

Women and Machines
from Home to Office
New York, New York

Mechanical Brides: Women and Ma-
chines from Home to Office, an exhibi-
tion at the Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum, critically examined
the ways in which people use design to
meet practical needs and create cultural
identities. Linking the history of design
and technology with contemporary
research in cultural studies, women's
history and sociology, the exhibition's
thesis stated that seemingly neutral
objects are central to the cultural defini-
tion of women's roles.

The curators of the exhibition were
faced with the challenge of juxtaposing
three-dimensional objects and media
images to illustrate the story of women
in the ideal American home and office.
By examining design from the users'
perspective rather than concentrating
on production or aesthetic values, the
curators reached a wide audience.

The exhibition was divided into
three basic sections: the home, the
office, and the telephone which linked
the two. By presenting the material in
a concise manner and in a number of
media, the displays provided a number
ways for the visitors to enter the exhibit.
Using the techniques of modern adver-
tising and environmental graphics, the
exhibition stimulated thought and
conversation.

Mechanical Brides: Women and
Machines from I tome to ( HHce gave
a vivid, accessible form to the body of
feminist scholarship that lias been pro-
duced on women, work, and design.
By linking objects with media images
and experiences of users, the exhibition
demonstrated the cultural life of indus-
trial design.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution.
Cooper-Hewitt. National Design Museum

Boym Design Studio

Design Writing Research

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55

GRAPHIC DESIGN

The Edge off the Millennium:

An International Critique of
Architecture. Urban Planning,
Product and Communication Design
New York, New York

A compilation of 298 essays by archi-
tects, designers, critics, philosophers,
historians, and design consultants from
around the world, The Edge of the Mil-
lennium is a book based on the convic-
tion that designers are accountable for
the effects, messages, products and
cities they design. The breath of experi-
ence among the contributors provides
a multidisciplinary cross-section of
reflections on contemporary life.

Developed out of a January 1992
conference, the book asks what value the
design professions will have in the next
millennium. In the spirit of the National
Endowment for the Arts Federal Design
Improvement Program, the four day,
intensively speculative, conference

included a wide range observations.
A close working relationship between
the book's editor at the Cooper-Hewitt.
National Design Museum and the de-
signer resulted in a lively and engaging
text that is visually stimulating and
coherently structured. Each section
begins with an analytical overview,
and carefully chosen images comple-
ment the text throughout the book.

Enhancing the international influence
of the Cooper-Hewitt, and anticipating
many of the issues which will confront
us at the turn of the century, The Edge
of the Millennium stresses the impor-
tance of design in shaping the civic
realm, and has proven to be popular
among students, design professionals,
cultural historians and all those inter-
ested in design.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Cooper-Hewitt. National Design Museum

ReVerb

United States
Holocaust Memorial
Museum Artifact Posters

Washington, DC

The Holocaust Memorial Museum's
primary mission as a national educa-
tional institution is to educate the
American public about the history of
the Holocaust and its implications.
Using materials supplied by the
museum, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum Artifact Posters present a
wealth of information on the compli-
cated issues relating to the history of the
Holocaust and resulting in an important
new resource for study.

Successful design is often the result
of interdisciplinary collaboration. In
this case, the project began with input
from teachers as to what format would
be most appropriate to present specific
themes from the Holocaust. After the
poster format was chosen, the designers
worked closely with experts and

56

GRAPHIC DESIGN

researchers on the museum staff, allow-
ing them to use the most appropriate
and effective materials for the posters.

The goal was to create materials that
could supplement a fully developed
curriculum. Designed for a broad range
of students - from middle school to the
college level - this set of nine posters
provides unique background informa-
tion on the Holocaust using artifacts,
documents, and photographs from the
museum collection. Additional materials
include a set of caption cards and a
teacher guide. Carefully designed to
complement each other and promote
student inquiry, the additional materials
provide historical background, sugges-
tions for further readings, and questions
for classroom discussions.

Through good graphic design, the
message about the Holocaust and the
resources of the museum are being made
available to students across the country.

SPIDERS!

Washington, DC

Civen the mission of bringing a "better
understanding of basic spider biology
and spiders' indispensable role in main-
taining our ecosystem" to the American
public, the designers of the National
Museum of Natural History's SPIDERS!
exhibit faced a formidable challenge.
Using visual and participatory design
elements, they succeeded in creating a
playful and dignified entreaty for spiders
and their impact on the environment.

Designed as a 5,500-square-foot
traveling exhibit, SPIDERS! had to last
through ten venues and withstand trans-
portation by truck. The exhibit endured
not only the demands of moving from
site to site, but the traffic of 800,000
visitors over the course of six months at
the Museum of Natural History.

The design team brought text, visu-
als and interactive displays together in a
meaningful way. While not overwhelm-
ing to the average visitor, the scientific
material was detailed in its presentation
of the dangers spiders can pose to human
beings, as well as to the harm caused by
an unreasonable fear of these insects.

The exhibit breaks with the tradi-
tion of didactic natural history displays
and presents its subject in an upbeat
yet serious tone. The designers of
SPIDERS! took special interest in
appealing to younger visitors, and a
companion "Spider Lab" - a staffed,
hands-on exhibit area - was especially
designed for children under the age
ofl2.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Office of Exhibits Central

Credits:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,
Education Department

Pat Taylor, Inc.

Adina Conn 8c Associates

"-7

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Produce for Victory:
Posters on the American
Home Front, 1941-1945

Designed for display in small rural
communities. Produce for Victory:
Posters on the American Home Front,
1941-1945 was a response to the
Congressional mandate to reach out
to previously neglected audiences in
America. The low cost, lightweight
display is engaging, intellectually
rewarding, and sets a new standard
for traveling exhibits.

Using design parameters developed
by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling
Exhibition Service, the Smithsonian's
Office of Exhibits Central created a
display with the look of a Smithsonian
product and the advantages of a trade-
show exhibit. The show is durable,
portable, and at the same time elegant
and clean.

The exhibit consists of 50 panels.
55 connectors, and a banner - all of
which travels in six, wheeled crates.
Construction drawings - including
isometric, plan and elevation views -
instruct the exhibitor on how to install
the displays. The graphics include color
reproductions of original vintage post-
ers, black-and-white photographs, and
World War II objects.

Produce for Victor)': Posters on
the American Home Front. 1941-1945
involved the exhibitors in all aspects of
the project, from the choice of topic to
its final design. The result is a blueprint
for future exhibits in the same format,
three of which are currently being devel-
oped by the Smithsonian's Office of
Exhibits Central.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution.
Office of Exhibits Central

Publication Design at the
National Gallery off Art

Washington, DC

In helping to cam- out the mission of
the National Gallery of Art and support
the gallery's programs, the publications
of the gallery disseminate information to
the general public, provide faithful color
reproduction of artists' work, contribute
to scholarly research, and serve as a
record of the gallery's temporary exhi-
bitions and permanent collections.
"Publication Design at the National
Gallery of Art: A Selection" documents
how the gallery has committed itself to
the advancement of design standards.

Within the restrictions of tight
deadlines and limited budgets, the
gallery produces twenty to twenty-five
major publications every year. A sample
taken from works printed during the last
four years illustrates the gallery's com-
mitment to producing printed materials
that are appropriate to the works of art

58

GRAPHIC DES

G N

they exhibit. Carefully considering each
element of the design as it relates to a
specific group of objects, the gallery
brings together words and images in
a clear and interesting manner.

Constantly striving to improve the
publication process, the gallery has
significantly updated electronic publish-
ing capabilities, resulting in increased
efficiency, improved quality control,
and significant cost savings. Publications
continue to be completed on time and

within budget. The success of the
gallery's work can be measured La high
catalogue sales, excellent teacher evalua-
tions, positive reviews from the press,
and the gallery's many visitors.

Credits:

National Gallery of Art, Editors Office

Design Pur

Bruce Campbell Design

Three Communication Design

Grafik Communications, Ltd.

-,'t

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Arizona Interstate
Rest Area Program

Recognizing that the rest areas along
Arizona's interstate highways had
reached the end of their life cycle of
providing safe, comfortable and relaxing
settings for travelers, the Arizona De-
partment of Transportation invited a
team of landscape architects, artists,
architects, engineers and tourism ex-
perts to create unique, user-friendly
sites.

While traveler safety and security
were paramount concerns due to the
remote location of the sites and minimiz-
ing the costs of maintenance and oppor-
tunities for vandalism was crucial, the
state wanted the rest areas also to serve
as "tourism ambassadors."

Today, information displays and
welcome centers at the sites allow the
traveler to learn more about the area
and make plans to visit attractions. The

designers also drew upon the remote
desert landscape to demonstrate innova-
tive approaches to sustainable and
responsive design, such as passive cool-
ing systems and arid site landscaping.
To ensure safety, the bathrooms are
visible from the parking areas as well as
to the highway patrol.

Traveler polls at the new rest areas
confirm that the designers have achieved
a unique balance that incorporates
aesthetic appeal, functional practicality,
and environmental sensitivity. In addi-
tion, they have helped to improve tour-
ism in the state.

Credits:

Department of Transportation,

Federal Highway Administration, Region 9

Arizona Department of Transportation,
Roadside Development Section

Cella Barr Associates

Charles Robert Schiffner Architects Ltd.

Enid A. Haupt Garden

Washington, DC

The Smithsonian Institution's Enid A.
Haupt Garden ties together three dis-
parate historic landmark buildings - the
Smithsonian Castle, the Victorian Arts
and Industries Building, and the Neo-
classical Freer Gallery of Art. All are
linked by a 4.2-acre site, which also
includes the entrance pavilions to the
underground quadrangle complex
housing the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
of Asian Art, National Museum of Afri-
can Art, and S. Dillon Ripley Center.
The design creates a composition of
delightful garden rooms, each with a
distinct image and character. Together,
they form a sophisticated public garden
that is intimately scaled and well
detailed, in the tradition of grand estate
gardens of America and Europe.

Formerly a parking lot, the garden
achieves a remarkable reconciliation
of opposing and conflicting elements
through a unifying theme of symmetry,
balance, texture, and proportion. The
plantings in each area reflect the differ-
ent typological origins of the garden

60

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

rooms - a brick-walked Victorian gar-
den leading from the street to the castle,
a peaceful Oriental garden with moon
gates and circular island next to the
Sackler, and a lively Islamic garden with
bubbling fountains adjacent to the
African Art museum.

Utilitarian structures scattered
around the site, such as stair towers,
large skylights, exhaust vents and a
loading dock, are hidden behind care-
fully arranged plantings and garden
walls.

The garden exemplifies the ability
of landscape architects to connect and
enhance disparate visual elements
through unifying forms and elements.

Credits:

General Services Administration,
National Capital Region

Smithsonian Institution,

Office of Design and Construction

Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott

Sasaki Associates

Dorst Campground

Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park.
California

The reconstruction of this 1930s camp-
ground and picnic area to accommodate
contemporary camping styles was ac-
complished economically and with great
sensitivity to its history. Built by the
Civilian Conservation Corps during the
Great Depression, Dorst Campground
was rebuilt to mitigate the impact of
development on the park's Giant Forest,
protecting the treasured giant Sequoia
trees. The number of campsites was
increased by 80, to a total of 240, with
nearly half of the sites reserved for
recreation vehicles. Despite this enor-
mous growth, the site does not feel
crowded due to carefully placed native
stone retaining walls.

Natural materials were used in a
functional and aesthetic manner. Circu-
lation was improved to reduce vehicle
impact on vegetation and camps. Since
the integrity of the natural vegetation
was a major concern, erosion control
blankets were used on slopes and drain-
age courses rather than seeding with
commercial grasses. The alignment of
new roads enhance drainage and the
visual quality of the roadscape. A new
bridge of rustic design recalls an earlier
time when only natural materials were
used, out of necessity, in remote parks.

Members of the design team, all of
whom were experienced campers, ably
demonstrated their appreciation for the
past, their knowledge of campers' aes-
thetic and physical needs, and technical

knowledge in this project The project

demonstrates that the National Park
Service can upgrade the function and
utility of existing park facilities for a
growing population without losing the
qualities that made this environment
memorable for previous generations.

Credits:

Department of the Interior.
National Park Service,
Denver Service Center, and the
Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park

Department of Transportation.
Federal Highway Administration

(il

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Hirshhorn Museum Plaza

Washington. DC

Working with a complex site that had
become badly worn and bad never
successfully addressed architect Gordon
Bunshaft's 1974 circular Hirshhorn
Museum, the Smithsonian Institution
hired a landscape architect to create an
urban oasis. The 2.7-acre plaza is now
a pleasant shady spot for weary visitors
to contemplate the museum's renowned
sculpture collection while also being
more technically functional.

With a clear sense of respect for the
integrity of the original design, the
designer retained the symmetry and
geometric focus of the site, including
Bunshaft's circular fountain in the
plaza's center. Key to the success of the
design was the decision to add greenery
to the outside quadrants. Areas of plant-
ing and low walls subdivide spaces into
smaller units to create "rooms" for the
sculpture, representing a total shift in
the concept of how visitors use the

space. These garden areas are defined
by rows of trees, lawns, gende slopes,
benches and granite rises that also
provide seating. A granite paved walk-
way circumnavigates the site, making
the sculptures accessible to visitors in
wheelchairs.

The plaza actually serves as the
roof for the museum's lower level. The
structural, mechanical, waterproofing,
drainage and grading work, which was
crucial to the performance of the build-
ing, remains invisible to plaza users.

Today, die Hirshhorn plaza grace-
fully and sensitively relates to the mu-
seum while immensely improving the
relationship between visitors and the
monumental building.

Credits:

Smithsonian Institution,
Office of Design and Construction
and the Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden

James Urban, ASLA

Cannon/Faulkner

Kenilworth Marsh Restoration

Washington, DC

Kenilworth Marsh is the last remaining
freshwater tidal wetland in the District
of Columbia. Massive urban develop-
ment, storm water runoff, sedimentation
and years of neglect had reduced the
once expansive marsh to barren flats at
low tide. The marsh clearly needed to
be restored and kept navigable while
transforming the mud flats into function-
ing wetlands.

Restoration of the marsh was accom-
plished through intergovernmental
cooperation between the National Park
Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Army Coqis of Engineers, Metropolitan
Washington Council of Governments,
and District of Columbia Department
of Public Works.

Wetlands form an integral part of
the watershed's self-cleansing system.
They serve as biological filters for the
silt, nutrients and pollutants that wash
down from thousands of sources. In
addition, they help reduce riverbank
erosion and flood damage, improve
water quality, and provide essential
habitat for fish and wildlife. One mea-
sure of the success of this project is the

62

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

dramatic increase in marsh flora and
fauna. Before the restoration, visitors
could count the number of snowy egrets
on one hand, today they number close
to 100.

A major innovation was the first
application in the nation of water tubes
and straw bales to contain the dredged
material. These appropriate low-tech-
nology solutions kept the costs low and
avoided the use of heavy equipment that
might disturb the habitat. Canals were
cut into the restored marsh to enhance
tidal water flow and allow canoes to
navigate through the area.

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Army,
Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

Metropolitan Washington
Council of Governments

Biohabitats, Inc.

Cottrell Engineering Corporation

Chris Athanas 8c Associates, Inc.

Sentinel Bridge

Yosemite National Park, California

Tasteful and restrained defines the
design approach of this functional,
unobtrusive bridge. This structure
enhances its setting and introduces an
attractive man-made element that inter-
acts with the spectacular views of the
Yosemite Valley. Sentinel Bridge spans
the Merced River with a shallow
posttensioned concrete arch. The arch
enables visitors to view the landscape
uninterrupted by piers while providing
a dignified sense of crossing. Granite
facing echoes the natural materials of
the mountains.

The various approaches to crossing
the bridge and the parking areas are
integral parts of the design. Whether on
foot, horseback, bicycle or automobile,

the traveler can conveniend) cross the
river, reveling in one of the grandest

views of Half Dome. The extra-wide
sidewalks on either side of the bridge
enable photographers, pedestrians and
w luelchair users to reflect on the natural
beauty of the site without impeding the
passage of others. The parking area is
partially screened from the road. Large
granite boulders located throughout the
area help direct pedestrian traffic and
provide seating while visitors wait lor
the shuttle bus.

This project clearly illustrates that
good infrastructure design can enhance
the experience of the park for visitors.

Credits:

Department of the Interior. National Park
Service, Denver Service Center

Department of Transportation. Federal Highway
Administration

63

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Loess Hills

Scenic Byway Program

Western Iowa

The Loess Hills region of Western Iowa
is a unique geologic land form compris-
ing 640,000 acres and spanning seven
counties. What began as a local attempt
to boost tourism and economic develop-
ment in the region turned into a nation-
ally significant program that involved
hundreds of volunteers from the area
and led to tremendous tangible and
intangible results. The former is demon-
strated by a nearly 250 percent increase
in tourism, and the development of a
new organization - The Loess Hills
Alliance - to preserve and protect the
future of the region. The latter is best
characterized by the new-found pride
residents have discovered, thanks to
their role in surveying and researching
the area.

The project literally began from
scratch since the state did not have a
scenic byways program. Staff from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Soil
Conservation Service created a program

that relied heavily on the participants of
local residents. The SCS developed an
innovative scenic route selection process
specifically tailored to rural Iowa. The
process used techniques such as visual
resource inventories, overlay mapping,
public polling, and computer visual
simulation. Volunteers wTere trained to
collect data on potential routes. Com-
mercial sendees were inventoried along
these routes to determine the suitability
to serve visitors.

During the project, more than 140
volunteers logged over 1.100 hours and
hundreds of miles on their own vehicles.
Fresh from their new-found apprecia-
tion of their environment, residents
undertook a large-scale landscape re-
source study that inventoried the natu-
ral, cultural and historic resources of the
entire area.

The result is a model program
establishing scenic byways based on
citizen involvement. With strong volun-
teer participation throughout the pro-
cess, the project ensured that residents
would be the best ambassadors for their
land, setting the stage for implementa-
tion and management of the region's
future planning and design.

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Credits:

Department of Agriculture.

Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Iowa State Office and the

Midwest National Technical Center

National Endowment for the Arts,
Design Program

Golden Hills Resource Conservation
and Development

64

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Sepulveda Basin,
Lake Balboa Park and
Wildlife Area

Los Angeles, California

Sepulveda Basin, Lake Balboa Park and
Wildlife Area has sensitively balanced
the needs of an urban populace for
recreation facilities and a wildlife habitat
while fulfilling its original role as a vital
unit in a flood control plan in the Los
Angeles County drainage area. Created
in 1941 by the Army Corps of Engineers
for Los Angeles County flood control,
the Sepulveda Dam and Reservoir has
taken on many other functions as the
region's population soared in the post-
war years. Approximately two-thirds of
the 2,100-acre site is leased to the city
Department of Recreation and Parks,
which maintains its parks, golf course
and play fields. Lake Balboa Park and
the Wildlife Area was designed to meet
the needs of an urban population of
about 1.5 million which previously had
litde access to open space.

The objectives of the designers for
Lake Balboa Park included: to preserve
views, use native plants to form natural
areas, create mixed use areas that would
complement the recreation lake, block
distracting views of nearby streets
through the use of earth mounds, and
create a natural appearance for the lake.
As a result, a 26-acre fishing and boating

lake, trails, picnic areas and a children's
play area were created for the enjoyment
of area residents. All the landscaping
and recreational features were designed
to withstand possible floods.

The wildlife area - with its large
pond, oak woodland and native grass-
lands - is a habitat for more than 200
varieties of local and migrator) birds.
Trails created around the lake offer
viewing blinds and open benches for
viewing the migratory' water fowl in and
around the pond. Incorporation of
native plant materials, combined with
innovative water handling treatment
strategies, has resulted in increased
numbers and varieties of wildlife. In
addition to creating a wildlife sanctuary,

the project established an experiential
learning environment for visitors.

The lake and recreation area has
proved to be an attractive and popular
destination for area residents. A result
of a partnership between city and
county agencies with the Army Coq>s.
Lake Balboa Park and Wildlife Area
has greatly enhanced the community's
enjoyment without sacrificing its
ecological purpose.

Credits:

Department of Defense. U.S. Army.
Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District

Brockmeier Consulting Engineers, Int.

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SEPULVEDA BASIN MASTER PLAN

(>".

URBAN DESIGN

Augusta Canal Master Plan

Augusta. Georgia

The Augusta Canal system winds its
way through a wilderness corridor.
developing three separate branches that
traverse historic neighborhoods and
urban landscapes before flowing back
into die Savannah River next to
Augusta's historic downtown area.
The canal master plan identifies actions
to preserve and interpret the endan-
gered canal and its related resources.

The process to create the plan was
a catalyst for the entire City of Augusta,
bringing together previously divisive
factions with the unified vision of a
revitalized community. At the outset of
the study, significant polarization and
mistrust divided the conservationists,
private developers, and public agencies.
Moving from confrontation to consen-
sus building was a major defining aspect
of the plan.

The planning process made the
citizens and leaders of Augusta aware of
die central role they would have to play
in implementing the plan. Using the
city's heritage to create a strong vision
for the future. Augusta citizens demon-
strated that they could create a third life
for their city through the canal, just as
their forefathers did in the 1840s when
the canal was conceived as a transporta-
tion corridor and again in the 1870s
when the canal was enlarged to accom-
modate post Civil War industrialization.

Residents have gained new amenities,
recreational opportunities, and revital-
ization of their neighborhoods while
preservationists have seen historic
structures saved through reuse, and
conservationists have secured critical
natural settings. In addition, educators
have new teaching environments and
property owners have realized increased
value.

Credits:

Department of the Interior.
National Park Service/SERO

CityDesign Collaborative. Inc.

The Augusta Canal Authority

The Office of ThomasJ. Martin

Peter H. Hand Associates. Inc.

W. R. Toole Engineers. Inc.

Bi -State Development
Agency/Arts in Transit

St. Louis. Missouri

Arts in Transit was established to help
design St. Louis's new 18-mile light rail
system. A team of six visual artists were
brought in to work with Metro Link's
architects and engineers to design the
infrastructure of the system. The team's
objective was not to decorate spaces but
to develop a comprehensive and coher-
ent system that would be visually appeal-
ing within the existing construction
budget. The result is an innovative
public works project as well as a collabo-
rative work of public art.

Design goals included developing
a composition of related components,
creating a sense of dynamism through
changeable elements, and using ver-
nacular forms and materials. Solutions
include unique bridge piers, unconven-
tional passenger shelters for outdoor
stations, underground tunnel stations
that maintain the character of the his-
toric space, and preservation of original
architectural remnants. Stations share

66

URBAN DESIGN

design qualities such as the curve in-
spired by the Mississippi River and the
Gateway Arch.

Built along a railroad right-of-way,
Metro Link is the first light rail system to
reuse existing infrastructure extensively
as an integral part of its design. It travels
through historic, industrial, residential
and commercial neighborhoods, and
even runs across the Mississippi using
the historic Ads Bridge. The LaClede's
Landing Station incorporates old brick
walls whose arched windows were
opened to allow views of the Gateway
Arch and Mississippi River.

Credits:

Department of Transportation,

Federal Transit Administration, Region VII

National Endowment for the Arts,
Visual Arts Program

Bi-State Development Agency
Arts in Transit
Sverdrup Corporation
Kennedy/Associates/ Architects, Inc.
Booker Associates, Inc.
Kuhlmann Design Group
Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc.
LS Transit Systems, Inc.
Todd Williams and Billie Tsien
Austin Tao and Associates

Fort Belvoir Master Plan

Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Fort Belvoir's mission has changed
substantially in recent years. What
started as an engineer training center has
evolved into a regional, multimission
center for the U. S. Army. The master
plan was undertaken to guide the fort's
managers in achieving its new, broader
mission.

Located on the Potomac River in a
rapidly growing area outside Washing-
ton, DC, Fort Belvoir is the largest single
tract of land controlled by a single owner
in Fairfax County. Considerable effort
was made to promote the participation of
all entities that would be affected by the
plan. These included Fort Belvoir resi-
dents, military officials, two county and
one city government, as well as the area's
commuter rail organization. Interviews
and charrettes were conducted to discuss
environmental, utility, commercial,
transportation, and quality of life issues.
The plan identifies eight separate mis-
sions: military, administrative, logistics
support, recreation, education, housing,
military community support, and envi-
ronmental stewardship.

Among the unique issues addressed
by the plan was the preservation of the
historic view corridor from George
Washington's home, Mount Vernon.
The plan also took into account environ-
mental issues related to the Chesapeake
Bay. Environmental overlays and other
constraint analyses were digitized over
up-to-date existing base mapping, pro-
viding efficient visualization and handling
of large quantities of diverse information.

The Army received unanimous
approval to implement its master plan,
giving the post clear guidelines for its
land use, including traffic and utility

programs for the next 20 years. The Fori
Belvoir Long flange Plan is a model for
military planning. Its exemplary level
lit participation coupled with its com-
prehensiveness present a logical course
of action to manage the development of
land, facilities, resources and infrastruc-
ture for this and other complex military
bases.

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Army,
Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District and
the Fort Belvoir Directorate of Public Works

VVoolpert Consultants. Alexandria
Woolperl ( lonsultants, ( Ihariotte
Woolperl Consultants, Dayton

(-7

URBAN DESIGN

Historic Family Quarters
Preservation Program

U.S. Army Military District
of Washington, DC

Many U.S. military bases were estab-
lished before World War I and contain
numerous types of historic structures.
Historic base housing is often seen as a
nuisance by military personnel because
of high upkeep costs, numerous techni-
cal problems, and demanding compli-
ance procedures. The high cost of
maintaining these structures led the
Department of Defense to develop the
Historic Family Quarters Preservation
Program. This comprehensive manage-
ment program for the maintenance and
repair of historic military family quarters
is recognized for balancing historic
preservation goals with the ongoing
functional needs of housing for military
personnel.

As one of the earliest preservation
initiatives of the Defense Department,
this program is a model for preserving
the historical resources of military
installations. Using three locations
within the Military District of Washing-
ton, a task force developed a set of

stewardship standards for exterior and
interior treatments that comply with the
Secretary of Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation. They also produced a
set of guidebooks providing direction
on the repair or replacement of specific
components from lighting fixtures to
roofing. Since most historic military
housing was built from standardized
plans, many identical quarters exist on
military bases across the country, mak-
ing the guidebooks applicable to at least
48 installations with the same types of
buildings.

Another critical component of the
program was the development of a
Maintenance Management Plan for the
quarters. The plan prioritizes mainte-
nance tasks and recommends preventive
maintenance procedures that extend the
useful life of building materials and
reduce the possibility of sudden system
failures.

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Army,
Military District of Washington

Hanbury Evans Newill Vlattas & Company

National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial

Washington, DC

Graceful and elegant are the words
most often used to describe the National
Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in
Washington, DC. Located in Judiciary
Square, the memorial is surrounded by
large historic buildings. Rather than
competing with the massive Italian
Renaissance style National Building
Museum or the classical judicial build-
ings, the memorial creates unity and
context where once there was none.

Unlike most memorials, which
commemorate specific events or persons,
this is an ongoing memorial created to
honor future, as well as past, fallen
officers. Their names are inscribed on
gently curving low stone walls that
envelop the square. Befitting a living
memorial, the site is also a park with
pergolas, benches, reflecting pool, and
a variety of seasonal and perennial
plantings. The memorial is free from
heavy architectural structures which
might intrude upon the sight lines and

68

URBAN

D E S

G N

compete with the buildings that so
beautifully frame the space.

The location over a Metrorail station
required that the design integrate those
existing structures. The elevators were,
therefore, incorporated into the pergola,
and the air relief vents were repositioned
within the landscaped lawn areas.

Working with six federal and eight
local agencies and review bodies, the
architect successfully navigated the maze
of reviews and approvals required for
Washington memorials. The design
contains a number of innovative fea-
tures. For example, the pergola struc-
tures have acute angles on the upper
bars to deter roosting pigeons.

This project is a fine example of how
neglected urban spaces can, and should,
be used for civic purposes.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,
National Park Service,
National Capital Region

National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial Fund

Davis Buckley, Architects and Planners

James Urban, ASLA

Raymond Kaskey, FAIA

Petersen Air Ferce Base
Comprehensive Plan

Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Located in a rapidly growing area out-
side Colorado Springs, Peterson Air
Force base occupies 1,278 acres and is
home to the U.S. Space Command and
the Air Force Space Command. The
comprehensive plan was undertaken to
establish a baseline planning document
that would guide the facility as it pre-
pares for the future and copes with its
ongoing growth.

Faced with a tight deadline since
earlier work on a previous plan had been
stopped, the designers of the new Base
Comprehensive Plan (BCP) established
an in-house management team that
provided a flexible process for managing
the base's growth and integrated its
planning efforts with those of the sur-
rounding communities. The team iden-
tified four basic planning principles for
the long-term BCP effort: developing
a team concept, establishing a project
management plan, applying partnering
techniques and incorporating total
quality management to document devel-
opment. This teamwork process was
highly successful, providing easier access
to military and civilian leaders and
establishing a broader base of expertise
and contacts.

The plan's environmental design
guidelines were a pioneering effort for
the Air Force. Since there were no
existing models, Peterson Air Force Base
created one. The base was in urgent
need of this design control tool to bring
visual and functional order to its envi-
ronment, including landscape treat-
ment, signage, lighting, street furnish-
ings and waste management features.

Using computer mapping through-
out the project was also an unprec-
edented and innovative outcome of
the planning process, providing a pow-
erful interactive medium to maintain
an up-to-date planning document/
database. This has been integrated with
other data sources, leading to safer and
more cost-effective facility placements
and allowing faster identification of
natural and man-made constraints.

Credits:

Department of Defense. U.S. Air Force.
Peterson Air Force Base. 2 1 st Space Wing.
2 1 st Support Group and
21st Civil Engineer Squadron

Higginbothani Briggs &: VssO< iatea

Leigh, Scott Ji; Clean . Inc.

(i(>

URBAN

DESIGN

Presidio General
Management Plan

San Francisco, California

Presiding over one of the most outstand-
ing vistas in this country, the Presidio
is at a turning point in its history. The
1995 closure of the military base that
has been located on that site for 220
years set in motion a major planning
effort by the National Park Service,
which will take over its management.
In addition to its magnificent view of
the Golden Gate and San Francisco
Bay, the 1,480 acre area contains an
enormous wealth of cultural, natural
and recreational resources.

The Presidio planning process has
been one of the most open and partici-
patory endeavors ever undertaken by
the National Park Service. It has in-
volved individuals throughout the
country and enlisted many groups not

traditionally involved in park planning.
The planning team employed vision
workshops, newsletters, concept work-
books, and numerous public meetings
as part of the public review process.
Among the challenges faced by the
planners were determining appropriate
treatments for the vast number of his-
toric resources contributing to the
Presidio's national historic landmark
status, transportation planning in an
area where traffic congestion is already
a serious concern, and developing a
strategy to meet operational and finan-
cial challenges of implementation.
The resulting plan breaks from
traditional park planning, calling for
innovative approaches to management
and prescribing a bold vision for the
Presidio. The entire site is to become
a model of sustainability and innovative
technology. It will be the setting for
programs that promote stewardship of
global resources, provide youth with
skills and commitment to public service,
and explore methods to improve the
health of people and the planet. In
short, it will be a model urban national
park for the 21st century.

Credits:

Department of the Interior,

National Park Service, Denver Service Center

and the Presidio Project Office

Redesign of Diggs Town

Norfolk, Virginia

Like many of this country's public
housing projects, Diggs Town was
plagued with the worst of society's
problems: unemployment, crime, drugs
and decay. The 1950s-era complex in
Norfolk, Virginia, leveraged public
housing modernization funds from the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) to transform a
"project" into a neighborhood.

HUD and city government officials
worked with the design team and Diggs
Town residents to create cohesion,
bolster safety and foster a sense of com-
munity pride. Principles of traditional
American urbanism were applied to this
distressed complex. Limited funds
supported minimal structural changes,
yet they had enormous physical and
psychological effects on the complex
and its residents. Front porches were
added to the low-rise, multifamily units,
encouraging residents to communicate
and get to know each other. Fences
secured private spaces, giving residents
control over the outdoor areas that
previously had been claimed by gangs.
And new, small-scale streets provide
parking, public security and the pride
of having a "street address."

Residents also worked with city and
federal officials to establish a drug elimi-
nation program and create over 20 jobs
with the project contractor, as well as
plan early childhood education and
recreation programs. In fact, the resi-
dents were key to defining the problems
and establishing the process that led to

70

URBAN

DESIGN

the redesign of Diggs Town. "Village
meetings" with the designers and gov-
ernment managers were conducted
regularly in resident back yards over six
months to create the plan.

The process at Diggs Town demon-
strates how the involvement of residents
and creative design solutions can make
"neighborhoods" out of "projects."

Credits:

Department of Housing and

Urban Development. Virginia State Office

Norfolk Redevelopment
and Housing Authority

Diggs Town Tenant
Management Corporation

UDA Architects

CMSS Architects

Staples Street Station

Corpus Christi, Texas

Staples Street Station is in downtown
Corpus Christi, Texas, amidst the city's
municipal complex. It is also the city's
most heavily used bus transfer point.
Before the station was built, transit
passengers were required to rush across
busy traffic intersections to make their
connections at five separate locations
and to wait for their buses on congested
sidewalks. The new station consolidates
the stops, allowing passengers to alight
from one bus and immediately board
the next.

The structure's design is in the
Spanish Colonial style, with golden-tan
stucco and arches, complementing the
city hall building across the street. The
station has a friendly, welcoming feel
that is enhanced by the cheerful decor.
Following a number of citizen and
business-leader meetings organized by
the Regional Transit Authority to dis-
cuss the development of the station, it
became clear that residents wanted the
station to reflect the community. To
accomplish this, the local arts center

created a means for residents literally to
make their mark on the new station. The
1 .500 ceramic tiles that grace the station
were designed and painted by residents.

Personal safety also was a high prior-
ity so the designers minimized structural
elements to create a large open space
and increased the normal level of light-
ing. Customer comfort was accommo-
dated with many seating areas, maxi-
mum shade, water fountains, and con-
cise information displays. The design
even includes spaces for street vendors
who sell refreshments to transit riders.

This bus station demonstrates the
value of a well-planned outreach effort -
a friendly, functional, attractive and
cost-effective public space that benefits
the entire city.

Credits:

Department of Transportation.

Federal Transit Administration. Region VI

Corpus Christi Regional
Transportation Authority

Creative Arts Center

Projects for Public Spacf

Aloe Tile Works

Progressive Structures. Inc.

71

URBAN DESIGN

Visual Clutter:

D Utility systems located underground.

D Improved circulation/channelization by Introduction o( bermed median.

a Visual distractions screened/site choracter Improved by landscape design.

D Scale ot parking reduced by planted islands/fingers'.

O Pavement graphics used where possible.

TRADOC Communities
of Excellence Program

The U.S. Army Training and
Doctrine Command
Fort Monroe, Virginia

The United States Army Training and
Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is
made up ofl 8 installations and several
Army service schools whose mission is
to provide basic and advanced training
to officers and enlisted personnel. These
installations provide more than just
training. They are communities, not
unlike cities and towns, and have a
direct link to the morale, welfare and
sense of well-being of its residents.
Recognizing growing disrepair on the
bases and lack of investment in their
surroundings by residents, TRADOC
established its Communities of Excel-
lence Program to improve the quality of
life and urban environments of the
installations.

The program faced the challenge of
integrating community involvement and
stewardship practices where they were
not normally recognized or promoted.

The implementation approach was
designed to reach a broad audience of
military personnel and "non-designers."
An annual training program outlined
guidance by which installations pre-
pared for annual evaluations. Manuals
that graphically depict design standards
and illustrate various levels of design
quality were produced for a wide variety
of facilities, including transient quarters,
commissaries, and outdoor training
areas.

This program has facilitated an
awareness of urban planning and identi-
fied continuous community and quality'
improvements as an integral aspect of
planning on all TRADOC installations.
The program has raised expectations
command-wide and created informed,
demanding and involved citizenry who
have become part of a TRADOC
community's planning process.

Credits:

Department of Defense, U.S. Army.
Training and Doctrine Command

E.L. Hamm and Associates, Inc.

Williams. Tazewell and Associates, Inc.

Teaching with Historic Places,
National Park Service

Our nation's historic places are invalu-
able teaching tools, but until recendy,
there was not a systematic way for teach-
ers across the country to use them in
conjunction with existing lesson plans.
Recognizing the potential to provide
students with an understanding of the
nation's cultural diversity and historic
traditions, to help communities appreci-
ate and protect their unique character,
and to foster stewardship among young
people and citizen groups to assist in
protecting historic resources, Teaching
with Historic Places was created joindy
by the National Park Service's National
Register of Historic Places and the
National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Lesson plans for Teaching With
Historic Places had to be integrated into
existing course structures, so extensive
research was conducted on the various
opportunities to add a preservation
component to curricula in subjects such
as history, social studies and geography.
A team of nationally recognized preser-
vationists and educators recommended
development of an ongoing series of

4, ■ ■»

I WO '

72

URBAN DESIGN

classroom-ready lesson plans, educa-
tional kits consisting of several themati-
cally-linked lesson plans, audiovisual
materials, a teacher guide, and a techni-
cal assistance kit on how to teach with
historic places. Teacher training oppor-
tunities are offered several times a year to
disseminate the program's methodology.
The lesson plans are based on prop-
erties listed on the National Register
using an array of maps, readings, visual
documents and activities to develop and
strengthen critical and analytical think-
ing skills. At least one activity in every
lesson plan leads the students into their
own community to find and research
similar themes and historic places.
Teaching with Historic Places provides
a national model that establishes a mutu-
ally beneficial partnership between
educators and preservationists, making
students more aware of their cultural
heritage.

Credits:

Department of the Interior, National Park
Service, National Register of Historic Places/
Interagency Resources Division

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Daydream Design

Walnut Street Bridge

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Built in 1891 as an engineering marvel,
the Walnut Street Bridge today is a
testament to the citizens of Chattanooga
and their commitment to preserving
their past while creating a vibrant new
public space. Deemed unsafe when
closed in 1978, the bridge faced demoli-
tion until concerned city residents
stepped in and had it placed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Popular support grew as plans unfolded
to transform the bridge into a rather
unusual park.

Today's traffic on the bridge is not
from automobiles, but that of pedestri-
ans, cyclists, readers, kite-flyers and
roller-skaters - to name a few. The
bridge is fully accessible to the wheel-
chair bound, with careful attention given
to connecting the roadbed and cantile-
vered sidewalks with transitional ramps.
Benches, planters and new lighting
encourage recreation and leisure activi-
ties.

With funds from the Federal High-
way Administration, the engineers
developed a posttensioned cable system
for the project that has become a model
for restoring historic bridges. Its virtual
invisibility has minimal impact on the
span's historic character, yet makes it
stronger than when originally built. In

homage to the original bridge, a wooden
deck was created and all existing orna-
mental railings were restored. The
engineers also used an innovative steel
grit blasting technique to recycle the grit
after separating the toxic lead, saving
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
landfill costs for contaminated sand blast
material. The Walnut Street Bridge is
now a key element in the city's river
front revitalization.

Credits:

Department of Transportation.
Federal Highway Administration,
Tennessee Division

Garnet Chapin Architects

A. G. Lichtenstein & Associates, Inc.

73

NDEX OF AWARDS

Architect of the Capitol

Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary- Building,
Washington, DC, p. 33

Department of Agriculture

A History of American Agriculture,
U76-1990, p.48

Loess Hills Scenic Byway Program,
Western Iowa, p. 64

Department of Commerce

Economic Development Administration

* Focus: HOPE Center for Advanced
Technologies, Detroit, Michigan, p.8

Department of Defense

Department of the Air Force

60K Loader Cab Interior, p. 44

Comprehensive Plan for Peterson
Air Force Base, Colorado, p. 69

Modernism at Mid-Century:

The Architecture of the United States

Air Force Academy, p. 50

Department of the Army

Backpack Personal Cooling System, p. 45

Environmental River Engineering
on the Mississippi, p. 40

Fort Belvoir Real Property Master Plan.
Fort Belvoir, Virginia, p. 67

Kenilworth Marsh Restoration,
Anacostia River Maintenance Dredging,
Washington, DC./?. 62

Marathon Battery Superfund Site Remedial
Design, Cold Spring, New York. p. 40

Military District of Washington
Historic Familv\Quarters Preservation
Program, Washington, DC, p. 68

Point Marion Lock Cofferdam.
Point Marion, Pennsylvania, p. 41

Sepulveda Basin: Lake Balboa Park

&c Wildlife Area, Los Angeles, California, p. 65

TRADOC Communities of Excellence
Program. Fort Monroe, Virginia, p. 72

* Recipient of a Presidential Award
for Design Excellence

Department of Education

Prisoners of Time Report, p. 50

Department of Energy

Solar Energy Research Facility,
Golden, Colorado, p. 42

Department of Health
and Human Services

Food and Drug Administration

* FDA Food Label Design, p. 24

Department of Housing
and Urban Development

Daybreak Grove and Sunrise Place,
Escondido, California, p. 29

Lucerne Gardens, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 31

Redesign of Diggs Town, Norfolk, Virginia.
p.70

Department of the Interior

Geological Survey

Exploring Maps Teaching Packet, p. 47
Planetary Maps Poster, p. 51

National Park Service

Augusta Canal Master Plan,
Augusta, Georgia, p. 66

Barataria Environmental Education Center,
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and
Preserve. New Orleans. Louisiana, p. 28

Dorst Campground, Sequoia/Kings Canyon
National Park, Three Rivers, California, p. 61

* The Double Arch Bridge of the Natchez Trace
Parkway, Franklin, Tennessee, p. 16

Lowell Performance Pavilion.
Lowell, Massachusetts, p. 30

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,
Washington, DC, p. 68

Presidio General Management Plan.
San Francisco, California, p. 70

Rehabilitation of the Old State House,
Boston, Massachusetts, p. 36

Sentinel Bridge. Yosemite National
Park, California, p. 74

Teaching with Historic Places,
Washington, DC, p. 72

Washington Monument Entry Level
Lobby Renovation. Washington, DC, p. 37

Women's Rights National Historical Park,
Wesleyan Chapel Block. Seneca Falls,
New York,/). 35

Department of State

Office of Foreign Building Operations

The Architectural Advisory Board,
Washington, DC, p. 28

United States Embassy Chancery,
Muscat, Oman, p. 34

Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration

Arizona Interstate Rest Area Program, p. 60

Dorst Campground, Sequoia/Kings Canyon
National Park. Three Rivers, California, p. 61

* The Double Arch Bridge of the Natchez Trace
Parkway, Franklin, Tennessee, p. 16

* The Interstate 90 Completion Project.
Seatde, Washington, p. 18

United States Naval Academy Bridge,
Annapolis, Maryland, p. 42

* River Relocation Project,
Providence, Rhode Island, p. 20

Sentinel Bridge. Yosemite National Park.
California, p. 74

Talmadge Memorial Bridge
Replacement, Savannah, Georgia, p. 43

Walnut Street Bridge, Chattanooga,
Tennessee, p. 73

Federal Railroad Administration

Amtrack AMD-103 Diesel Locomotive, p. 44

Federal Transit Administration

Bi-State Development Agency/Arts in Transit,
St. Louis, Missouri, p. 66

Staples Street Station, Corpus Christi,
Texas, p. 71

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Customer Service Guide, p. 46

74

INDEX OF AWARDS

Environmental Protection Agency

Marathon Battery Superfund Site

Remedial Design, Cold Spring, New York, p. 40

Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

FDIC Employee Handbook, p. 49

Federal Emergency
Management Agency

Spreckels Temple of Music,
San Francisco, California, p. 36

General Services Administration

* Byron White United States Courthouse,
Denver, Colorado, p. 10

Enid A. Haupt Garden, Washington, DC, p. 60

Independence Square, Washington, DC, p. 30

Oakland Federal Building, Oakland,
California, p. 32

U.S. Border Station, International Falls,
Minnesota, p. 34

National Aeronautics
and Space Administration

Independence Square, Washington, DC, p. 30
Mission to Planet Earth Posters, p. 48

National Endowment for the Arts

Bi-State Development Agency/ Arts
in Transit, St. Louis, Missouri, p. 66

Carlos Collazo 1956-1990 Exposicion
Homenaje, San Juan, Puerto Rico, p. 46

Loess Hills Scenic Byway Program,
Western Iowa, p. 64

National Gallery of Art

Publication Design at the

National Gallery of Art: A Selection, p. 58

Exhibition Design at the National Gallery of
Art: A Selection, October 1991- May 1994,
p. 38

Smithsonian Institution

Enid A. Haupt Garden, Washington, DC, p. 60

Produce for Victory: Posters on the American
Home Front, 1941- 1945, p.58

SPIDERS!, p.57

* Cooper-Hewitt,

National Design Museum, p. 22

The Cooper-Hewitt Collections:
A Design Resource, p. 52

The Edge of the Millennium:
An International Critique of Architecture,
Urban Planning, Product and Communication
Design, New York, New York, p. 56

Mechanical Brides: Women and
Machines from Home to Office, p. 55

Packaging the New: Design and the American
Consumer 1925-1975, />.55

The Power of Maps, p. 54

Revolution, Life, and Labor:
Soviet Porcelains (1918-1985),/). 52

A Royal Gift: The 1826 Porcelain Jewel Cabinet,
p. 54

Freer Gallery of Art

and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Freer Gallery of Art:

Restoration and Reinstallation, p. 38

Hirshhorn Museum
and Sculpture Garden

Hirshhorn Museum Plaza Renovation
and Landscaping, p. 62

National Museum

of the American Indian

Master Facilities Program for the
National Museum of the American Indian,
Washington, DC, p. 32

National Postal Museum

National Postal Museum, Washington, DC, p. 39

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

* U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, p. 12

* U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Permanent Exhibition,/). 14

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Artifact Posters, p. 56

U.S. Postal Service

National Postal Museum, Washington. DC, p.37

75

CREDITS

This publication was produced under
a cooperative agreement between
Community Ventures, Forrest City, NC,
and the Design Program of the
Nadonal Endowment for the Arts.

Senior Editor and Writer
Thomas B. Grooms

Editors
Judith Binder
Lily Leiva

Writers

Ned Cramer
Susan Hyatt
A. Benno Schmidt
Thomas Walton

Design

Cox 8c Associates, Inc.

NATIONAL
ENDOWMENT
FOR ^0 T H E

ARTS

Presidential Design Awards

National Endowment for the Arts

Design Program

The Nancy Hanks Center

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506

202/682-5437

ISSN-10490541X

Photographs:

Page 37

Page 56

Robert Creamer

Ken Pelka (top)

Page 8-9

United States

Balthazar Korab

Page 38

Holocaust Memorial Museum

Freer Gallery of Art

(bottom right)

Page 10-11

(center left and top)

Michael Barber Architecture

National Gallery of Art

Page 57

(bottom right)

United States

Page 12-13

Holocaust Memorial Museum

Timothy Hursley

Page 39

(top left)

Page 1 4

National Gallery of Art
(top left)

Chip Clark (bottom right)

Jeff Goldberg (bottom left)

Hedrich Blessing

Page 58

United States Holocaust

(bottom right)

Paul Sewell (bottom left)

Memorial Museum (top right)

Page 40

Page 60

Page 15

Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.

Mark Boisclair (bottom left)

Timothy Hursley

(top right)

Robert C. Lautman (top right)

Page 18-19

Page 41

Page 61

Washington State Department

Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.

Robert C. Lautman

of Transportation

(bottom left)

(bottom left)

Page 22

Page 42

Page 62

Ken Pelka (bottom left)

Marvin D. Blimline (top left)

Celia Pearson (bottom left)

Billjacobson (bottom center)

Bob Harr (bottom right)

Ken Pelka (top right)

Page 65

Page 43

Lamb/Culver

Page 23

Bob Harr (top left)

Billjacobson

Page 66

Page 44

Steven Ginn (top right)

Page 29

Bob Johnston

Davids Killory (bottom)

Page 67

Page 45

Robert Pettus (bottom left)

Page 30

Dennis Carlson (top right)

Jock Potde (center left)

Page 68

Steve Rosenthal (top right)

Page 46

Greg Staley (top right)

Larry Ruggeri (top right)

Page 31

Page 69

Steve Rosenthal (center left)

Page 47

Eric Taylor (bottom left)

CWC Builders/J.D. Sloan

Photo Link

Higginbotham/Briggs 8c

(bottom right)

Page 48

Associates (top)

Page 32

Jeffrey Wilkes (bottom)

Page 70

Richard Barnes (top left)

Corcoran School of Art

Marti Knapp (top left)

Smithsonian Institution

(top right)

Charles Kennard (bottom)

(bottom right)

Page 49

Page 71

Page 33

Paul Kennedy (bottom left)

UDA Architects (top left -

Smithsonian Institution

Sam Collicchio (top)

top and bottom)

(top left)

Ron Randolf Photography

Jeff Goldberg (bottom right)

Page 51

Jeffrey Wilkes (bottom center)

(bottom)

Page 34

Page 72

Peter Kerze (bottom left)

Page 52

Beth Boland (bottom right)

Jeff Goldberg (top right)

Billjacobson (bottom left)

John Parnell (top right)

Page 73

Page 35

Bedi Boland (top left)

Carl Stein

Page 53

Garnet Chapin (bottom center

John Parnell (bottom left)

and right)

Page 36

Howard J. Wong (top left)

Page 54

Peter Vanderwarker

Ken Pelka (center left)

(bottom right)

76

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