An Evening Constellation of Lights
A slate upon which the cumulative effort of the days activities are writ.
A slate upon which the cumulative effort of the days activities are writ.
This entry proposes to install into the lawn a gridof lights, for which energy is generated by foot traffic. The cumulative effectis an evening constellation of lights in a pattern and brightness thatindicates the number of people visiting the Washington Monumentthat day and where their paths concentrated.
According to a summary of the Washington Monumentideas competition, “while the Washington Monument is the defining feature ofthe Washington, DC skyline — and the centerpiece of the nation’s most symbolicpublic open space — the design of the Monument grounds has never been fullyrealized despite two centuries of planning ideas” (www.wamocompetition.org/about). My entry into the competition describes aninstallation to the landscape that ties the entire mall together; ties the formand the function; ties all the types of visitors together, over time and across intents. I propose to accomplish this and to fulfillthe potential of the Monument grounds with a simple architectural gesture: byreinforcing the long axis of the National Mall with a field of lights thatresponds on a nightly basis to the pedestrians who traverse the area during theday.
The project will inlay the lawn, along the axis ofthe reflecting pool, with an array of lights, making the Washington Monumentgrounds into a field condition whereboth alteration in pattern and modulation of intensity are visible in theevening and that such changes are able to be read as manifestations of forcesthat act upon it during the day. Inparticular, this proposed field condition will be a rectangular array of lightspositioned in a grid 6 ft on center with the force acting upon it the energy generated by the foot trafficacross each individual light.
This design accommodates the sentiments of nostalgiatoward the existing National Mall while being forward-thinking in its functionand ever-changing in its manifestation. By day the grid of lights will be unobtrusive to the pedestrian andcasual observer. The constellation ofevening lights will draw the viewer’s eye along the length of the lawn andreflecting pool, emphasizing the traditional parti of the National Mall. That the lights are at once accessible in atactile sense and visually cloaked makes them a counterpoint to the Washington Monument, which isvisually striking but solitary, bunkered on a hill. In its way, the field of lights is anextension of the urban design effect of the reflecting pool.
This design accommodates the sentiments of nostalgiatoward the existing National Mall while being forward-thinking in its functionand ever-changing in its manifestation. By day the grid of lights will be unobtrusive to the pedestrian andcasual observer. The constellation ofevening lights will draw the viewer’s eye along the length of the lawn andreflecting pool, emphasizing the traditional parti of the National Mall. That the lights are at once accessible in atactile sense and visually cloaked makes them a counterpoint to the Washington Monument, which isvisually striking but solitary, bunkered on a hill. In its way, the field of lights is anextension of the urban design effect of the reflecting pool.
All manner of people traipse across thegrounds: busloads of elementary school studentson an annual field trip, tourists getting their first look at the Capital,Smithsonian patrons crossing the lawn to reach another museum, families andfriends picnicking, teams of pick-up soccer or football players, protestors enmasse, policymakers, educators, working people, veterans. This designreinforces the original designation of the Mall to be a grand avenue (1791 planby Pierre L’Enfant) by encouraging its walkability. By evening, the lights will provide a visualimpression of the number of people walking on the Washington Monument grounds,tying all types of visitors together into a unified and unique display andthereby realizing the traditional roles of the lawn of the Washington Mall: asclassroom, boulevard, public arena of debate, and park.
The design will follow the spirit of the competitionin its desire to “… join legacy and future, historical context and contemporarythinking, and engage a lively debate about the 21st century use of thissymbolic landscape in the civic life of our democracy” (www.wamocompetition.org/program). Thoseareas that had the most traffic will brighten most dramatically, creating arepresentation of the use of the Washington Monument grounds thatday. At twilight the flat expanse ofground becomes a figurative slate upon which the cumulative effort of the daysactivities are writ. The design Ipropose will present an outward manifestation of the powerfully historic spacewhere visitors come to learn American history, demonstrate their convictions,and reflect upon the ideals of this country.
The design will follow the spirit of the competitionin its desire to “… join legacy and future, historical context and contemporarythinking, and engage a lively debate about the 21st century use of thissymbolic landscape in the civic life of our democracy” (www.wamocompetition.org/program). Thoseareas that had the most traffic will brighten most dramatically, creating arepresentation of the use of the Washington Monument grounds thatday. At twilight the flat expanse ofground becomes a figurative slate upon which the cumulative effort of the daysactivities are writ. The design Ipropose will present an outward manifestation of the powerfully historic spacewhere visitors come to learn American history, demonstrate their convictions,and reflect upon the ideals of this country.
