Kogod Courtyard Opens Sunday @ Reynolds Center
Dynamic, lively, stunning, soaring. These are the words used by Smithsonian officials and architect Spencer de Grey to describe the new Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, home to both the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. With a blend of modern aesthetics and historic sensibilities, the new courtyard is a gorgeous space that the Smithsonian plans to use to hold public programs and special events.
The courtyard was designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners architectural firm, who have also worked on the Reichstag, the new German Parliament in Berlin, and the Great Court at the British Museum in London. They worked with Kathryn Gustafson, a landscape designer affiliated with Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd., to transform the space. Gustafson and de Grey were on hand at the media opening to discuss the project and field questions.
The courtyard was designed to make visitors feel like they’re outside, without having to deal with cold and rain. Thus, a roof was necessary to making the space truly useful, and the architects decided upon a wavy glass and steel structure, with glass panels set in a grid and supported by columns. There are several “pools” of water, which are only a quarter inch deep. They reflect the courtyard and can also be turned off to accommodate more people in the space. Adorning the courtyard are two 32-foot ficus trees and 16 black olive trees, which are filled in with a variety of shrubs and ferns. The space is 28,000 square feet, and will feature free wireless internet access.
Photo by David S. Holloway/Getty Images courtesy Smithsonian Institution
Back in the 19th century, the courtyard served as the spot for President Lincoln’s 1865 inaugural ball, and Walt Whitman described the building as the “noblest of Washington’s buildings.” Thus, the courtyard designers faced challenges in making the space accessible, while at the same time retaining its beauty and historical importance. The courtyard is at once strikingly modern, yet preserves the feel of the period in which it was first build. The whole museum complex underwent extensive renovations beginning in 2001, opening in July 2006. The two museums remained open while work was done on the courtyard.
The Reynolds Center will celebrate the new courtyard on Sunday with a Friends and Family Festival, running from noon- 6 p.m. There will be hands-on art activities, live music performances and actors impersonating individuals from the museums’ collections, such as Marilyn Monroe and George Washington. For a full schedule of events visit the web site.
A café will also be opening November 20 in the courtyard, with a seasonal menu of salads, sandwiches, pastries and beverages including wine.
The Reynolds Center is located at 8th and F Streets, NW. The Center is open daily from 11:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.