National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC)

Occupying the last available space on the National Mall, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) is situated prominently between the National Museum of American History and 15th Street, next to the Washington Monument. When it opens to the public in 2015, the NMAAHC will feature exhibition space for African American history and culture, as well as a centerpiece venue for ceremonies and performances. The facility will look unlike any other structure on the Mall. The bronze and glass-panel façade, known as the Corona, is a representation of traditional African architecture using modern materials and will visually define the museum. The Corona will hang from the top of the museum with no intermediate support. The museum’s five above-grade levels will be supported by four concrete towers linked at the top by steel trusses. Below grade, the project includes three cast-in-place concrete levels: a mechanical level, a concourse level, and a mezzanine level.

Highlights

• This project is being delivered by a joint venture team comprising Clark and Smoot Construction Company.
• The NMAAHC Project is being led by Brian Flegel.
• The original concepts called for a one-of -a- kind cast bronze architectural facade. This, however, presented challenges not only to the project budget, but also to the structural performance given the weight of the bronze. Through the engagement of the subcontracting community in a competitive process, Clark was able to deliver a solution that achieved the architectural intent of the building while meeting the performance and cost requirements of the facility.