I was a big fan of the idea of the African American History Museum opening today on the National Mall. But every time I pass the scene I just cannot believe what an architectural travesty resulted.
User-Supported News Commentary Hosted by Craig Crawford
boss, these guys (but what do they know) don’t seem to agree with you
arts journal: New African American Museum Is DC’s Best Architecture In A Generation
“The most impressive and ambitious public building to go up in Washington in a generation — if also the owner of a truly awkward acronym — the NMAAHC draws its considerable power from a willingness to embrace the nearly bottomless complexity of both its mission and its site.”
latimes: nmaahc architecture review
National Museum of African American History and Culture
wiki: The design submitted by the Freelon Group/Adjaye Associates/Davis Brody Bond won the design competition. The above-ground floors featured an inverted step pyramid surrounded by a bronze architectural scrim, which reflected a crown used in Yoruban culture
Whatever the original meaning behind the design, it’s rather sad that the Museum built to honor the people who actually built Washington stone by stone is commemorated by three letter trays stacked on top of another.
Just curious if it has a glass roof. Being able to gaze up & “follow the stars” would be an inspired touch. And inspire hope.
But honestly, what matters most isn’t the outside but what’s on the inside.
Of course I don’t live there & have to see it day in, day out. Fully understand how Washingtonians might take a different view. An eyesore is an eyesore is an eyesore …
I too find the design very weird and even reading the symbolism and what the facade is supposed to represent, it is a long way to actually representing anything. For those who have never been here, D.C. is the cement block and red brick rectangle world of bureaucracy. The Pentagon was a wild design in the 1940’s. To have an important structure break from the norm is not normal and has been a source of talk since it was first more than a hole in the ground.
“three letter trays stacked on top of another”
that was my 2nd impression, my 1st was a rooftop evaporation unit. too bad that it isn’t lighter in color which would blend in better and perhaps have more a lacy ephemeral quality; but from what was said in an interview contrast to the white structures was on purpose and makes a statement. afraid that statement might be misinterpreted to be “f*** you, whitey”
Here’s a statement: bad design is bad design.
is the newseum any better?
‘course the smithsonian ain’t so lily white either come to think of it
maybe in a few years they can paint the trays…if they were here? Bright colors and motif’s. I wonder if there is a drone view available…I am a huge fan of drone photography — the lilt over landscape is very pleasing to me.
the newseum kinda looks like an old style credit card machine restaurants use to employ. it also has a trash can quality to it…. you know the kind that slide open when you step on a lever…. or maybe an opened door elevator?
guess i’m just partial to pretty pillars, columns and such
if I were able to ask a question of trump? what is the third amendment? the candidate stops at two and it is No. Two that is causing the problem. Perhaps we need to change our words (words matter) to violence control. Many of the police shootings are in open carry states and I imagine fear is in every po-po heart and that creates an emotionally charged atmosphere. Add mental illness which flourishes during an economic downturn. Since the Aurora theater shootings, I do not see increased security and there are more guns on the street along with super hoarders stockpiling guns, but I do see more signs at the doctor’s office, hospitals NOT to bring your gun inside. I still stand by my comments after Aurora…less guns, more security and children should never be allowed to own a gun. Since I commented, there has been an increase in babies, toddlers, children using guns to kill siblings, Mommy and friends. We create murderers of little children. The violence is a result of the push by the nationalists to control the masses with walls, law and order. Nothing for the mind or heart…just bullets for the body. Open carry needs to be revisited.
I’ve been disconnected from the mall for several years but knew this was being built. Until the announcement of it’s opening no images had impinged on my judgement. Learning of it’s purpose my reactions in order
1. That’s weird wonder what the architect envisioned
2. Reminds me of sailing ship or ark (slave transport?)
3. Need to think about this one
In any case, I’ll give it time to settle into its environment. Lots of people hated the wall until they had cried on it for several years.
forget the trays…the design was supposed to be that of a Yoruban crown…I do not see it as the Yoruban crowns are beaded and colorful. Review from the NY Times.
Well… as an artist… I too have a statement…
You mean they built a museum that stands out from all the other staid structures in D.C. and it’s shaking the sensibilities of some older farts…. GOOD!
Craig and/or BlueB… if either of you actually go into it, would you please give us a report on it’s contents.
bw, not only beaded and colorful, but some had critters on them
I think the building more resembles the wonderful woven baskets of Africa.
Seriously…. how can one make a judgment based on one tiny and dark posted picture. I googled it and got a better look. To me it seems the kind of structure that one has to see in person to get any real kind of feel for it.
patd… the woven baskets of Africa are beautiful, IMO… also love those woven baskets of some island down Sturg’s way.
Looks kind of oriental to me. At least they didn’t build it to look like a huge black power fist or a hand flipping the bird. Maybe it should have been shaped like a black teenager wearing a hoodie – to honor all the innocent kids who were gunned down.
Man – it’s too early for the pessimism thing.
Peter Daou @peterdaou 17m17 minutes ago
Peter Daou Retweeted Dan Pfeiffer
Um, she’s a woman?
Peter Daou added,
Dan Pfeiffer @danpfeiffer
Can someone explain why this isn’t the biggest story in politics right now? It would be if this was a Clinton aide. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-s-intel-officials-probe-ties-between-trump-adviser-and-kremlin-175046002.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma …
Brian Ross ABC News Report: 100s of Millions of Dollars Paid to Donald Trump by Russian Oligarchs
by First Amendment
Hard to convey in a photograph how it blights the view of the national mall
still, looking forward to visiting it once crowds thin out a bit
POLL CHART
2016 General Election: Trump vs. Clinton
Huffpost
Clinton 46%
Trump 41.7%
Jewish Grandparents Promise to Rise From the Dead, Haunt Their Grandkids If They Don’t Vote for Hillary Clinton
Ann Christine Diaz
Hillary Clinton’s Renewable Energy Plans are Good News for Solar Power
Solarnation
As a plain old GS worker, it will be many months before I can get in the doors. From news reports the place has tickets out for a couple of months. Maybe some real crummy day in a January slush storm I might get in. It is on the other side of the Mall from where I occasionally work, so getting to it is not difficult. But it is a combination celebrity status tour and very popular with many people museum.
It is of interest to me due to knowing my ancestors were slave holders in the 1700’s. The one’s I know of released their slaves at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, however the freeman traveled with my ancestors afterward for a number of years. It will take some digging to find out about the rest of the ancestors. I do know a couple were indentured servants from England in the 1600’s and 1700’s.
Will Hillary Clinton’s Education Policy Break From Obama’s in a Huge Way?
For starters, teachers’ unions are already playing a big role.
KRISTINA RIZGA
Five Questions for Donald Trump Supporters That They Will Never Answer Because They’re Terrible Human Beings
The Rude Pundit
Yes, Donald Trump Can Win the First Debate—Here’s How
If the moderator lets him lie, Clinton could
be in trouble.
Joan Walsh
Small afterthought from the Ping exchange. The violence of modern society often seems overwhelming. It pays to put it in context in order not to be fearful. In 1900 population in US 76.2 million. In 2000 population in US 282.2 and climbing fast
Always take into consideration per capita when considering things such as murder. In US this peaked in 1980 at 10.2 per 100,000. It has now dropped down to 4.5 per 100,000 in 2014
The next time Trump and his “be afraid be very afraid” ilk want you to run about to scream and shout “Danger Will Robinson”, just quietly reply, “Actually I’m feeling quite safe thank you”.
Speaking of things DC, Trump’s new hotel empty and sad
People fleeing the Trump brand.
Adding Up the Clinton and Trump Health-Reform Proposals
Zachery Tracer
Our endorsement is rooted in respect
for her intellect, experience and courage.
The New York Times
HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
There are some very interesting pix on google image search. Different angles and time of day make a nice tableau. I especially like the one taken at night with the let up images glowing of the building and another one from a different vantage point makes it look like the bow of a ship: https://www.google.com/search?q=National+Museum+of+African+American+History+and+Culture&client=opera&hs=CVX&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjyg4nxtajPAhXo54MKHWS0AXkQ_AUICigD
Hey, Ping……..you got your wick set too high…..you’re sootin’ up your chimbley……:-)
Attempting to find common ground is, however, a great idea……it’s about time maybe some of that could happen….
Jamie – I find the bloater’s comments as indicative of total lack of knowledge of any group outside his gruppe of yes men and the product of someone’s loins. I have friends who used the lies of many to support their beliefs that they were superior race. It is not often. I’ve been reading that the guy is really broke.
this gives more views (and is also where I heard about “couldn’t it be something to give a little color” to all the white on the mall) inside and outside
question to those who know these things: will the bronze exterior change with age? am thinking how the copper domes, cupola and roofs (rooves?) in Europe have oxidized over the centuries into beautiful blues… will there be a similar patina that comes about.
Granny
That night time view is beautiful and heroic.
vanity fair:
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen Calls Trump a “Moron,” Might Campaign for Hillary Clinton
He said of the election: “The whole thing is tragic.”
Trump has invited Gennifer Flowers to be his guest at the debate I guess no one told him there is no audience
She is Trump’s type
The Museum looks better illuminated and close-up
patd – it is not bronze, but bronze is what was originally planned. This article/interview states it is “a bronze-coated alloy”. One of the issues that was considered is the climate conditions in D.C. which range from humid, to wet. Along with a bit of salt in the air from the Potomac and Anacosta. The salt is low as the water is mostly brackish compared to where one of my boats is near the Atlantic.
Running away from politics to play with genealogy and ran smack dab into politics. I was looking for a whole host of high school pictures from the early 40s. Pleasantly surprised to find most of my various relatives in Illinois and California were attending integrated high schools.
Fresno was particularly interesting because the students of Japanese descent who had been a good percentage of the classes in late thirties were missing in the 40s as their families went to little vacation spots like Manzanar.
By 42 several of the boys in the senior year pictures were already in uniform and sentiments such as the picture were prominent in the front pages.
I need to start a document that is nothing but fun and interesting tweets.
“Cheeto Mussolini’s campaign staff is having an emergency conference call to try to figure out how to ixsnay the Gennifer Flowers gambit.”
Jamie: Love the genealogy info. I keep wanting to delve into my family’s history but then I get interested in other things and it gets put off. Eventually it will happen. 🙂
Thanks for putting up that image of the museum lit up. I think it’s quite beautiful. My oldest grandson and I have been talking about the possibility of taking a train trip to Washington sometime soon. I love the Smithsonian and he hasn’t been there so I really wanted to see it again and share the experience with him. Now that there is a whole new museum to look forward to it makes me want to go even more. Since it seems like it’s hard to get into right now, maybe a trip in the spring would be something we can plan for.
Modern architecture tends to ignore previous history or the feel of place. we have such a new structure at the Nelson-Atkins art museum.
The old museum was/is stone and columns huge and massive as only neuvo riche late 19th century could build.
The new Modern addition is a steel and glass warehouse look from the neighborhood side a total contrast to the surrounding architecture.
While they made the view from the old museum seamless, they seemed to believe the rest of the neighborhood didn’t exist.
I think the Structure in question is interesting. Only looking at it from the neighborhood view tells me if it fits in.
Sounds like a trip to washington DC is in order.
Jack
jack, sounds like a bit of “there goes the neighborhood” muttering