ET115 – The U.S. Capitol: Heritage & Cultural Sensitivity in Public Architecture

Additional fee, registration required.

This tour showcases the awe-inspiring effort to remaining true to the Capitol's Architectural Heritage while preserving and expanding America's great national icon. The resulting work accommodates the evolving needs of Congress and millions of annual visitors by creating a seamless transition between the historic and the new.

You'll explore how project leaders approached a range of challenges to maintain and complement the Capitol's public image, its public spaces, and its impact on the balance between accessibility and security. All in all, you'll develop a deeper understanding of the alternative paths of public architecture, historic preservation, and their role at the city and national levels.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify how creating a clear sense of entry and procession provides visitors to underground places of assembly with a sense of connection to their surroundings.
2. Recognize the impact when underground places of assembly are bright, welcoming, and connected visually to identifiable exterior elements through the use of skylights.
3. Examine how the connections between historic structures and new expansions are strengthened by the use of compatible quality materials and a shared sense of scale in the volume of public spaces.
4. Learn about listing and prioritizing the full range of fire and life-safety upgrades necessary to protect building occupants and assure continued building usefulness.

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