The Donald W. Reynolds Center home of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery is a National Historic Landmark Building in Washington, DC.
The interior courtyard has been enclosed by a glass canopy designed by Foster + Partners, creating one of the largest public event spaces in the city. Given the historical significance of the building, the landscape design for the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard acts as the link between the historic building and the new roof. The design balances a formal relationship between courtyard, building, and roof, with a dynamic east-west composition of long thin rectangular planters and a scrim of water which is allowed to traverse the entire length of the courtyard, underlining the dynamic sense of motion in the composition. The design creates a contemporary complement to the new roof, while reflecting the character and spirit of the historic building.
The project was completed in 2007.
