The National Mall Coalition is fortunate to have on its board the renowned local architect Arthur Cotton Moore. In recognition of his many contributions to the District – new facilities, renovations, plans and proposals, and more, some of which he took on pro bono – the Washingtonian magazine and the Washington Business Journal both have run profiles, the Journal in a cover story pegged to Moore’s new book Our Nation’s Capital: Pro Bono Publico Ideas (available from Amazon).
The two articles showcase some of Moore’s most important contributions to the region’s urban fabric, from his work on the National Mall to Georgetown’s Canal Square and Washington Harbor to renovations at the Phillips Collection, the Cairo apartment building, and the Library of Congress to ideas for improving and engaging the Potomac’s scenic riverfront. Though some proposals were never realized, several ideas in the book have already stimulated debate and consideration of what might be possible as solutions to one or another planning or design challenges — such as his proposal for a performing arts center in Anacostia, done at the behest of the late Marion Barry during his last stint on the City Council.
Among his most important Mall related endeavors is the design for the National Mall Underground, which is intended to address the real and serious threat of flooding from heavy storms and sea level rise besides providing new parking, including for tour buses, and visitor amenities. Every bit as visionary is his proposed plan to expand the Mall (whose geography incidentally has never been formally delineated) to accommodate a spate of proposed museums and memorials without sacrificing the open space and grand vistas that now characterize the National Mall.
All of us, DC residents and visitors alike, owe him a debt of gratitude for what he’s done in the past and what he may pull off in the future.
Read the Washington Business Journal feature story.
Read the Washingtonian story online or in a PDF.
See more of Moore’s work at www.arthurcottonmoore.com
Tags: National Mall Coalition
