National Museum of African American History and Culture
Freelon Adjaye Bond / SmithGroup · Washington, DC, United States · 2016
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is defined by a three-tiered bronze-colored corona inspired by African and African American craft traditions. A patterned metal screen filters daylight while giving the large museum a changing appearance across the National Mall. Below and within the corona, extensive galleries move from subterranean historical exhibitions toward upper levels focused on culture and community. Opened in 2016, the building combines monumental civic presence with a carefully calibrated symbolic and environmental envelope.