Six vie to design National Museum of African American History and Culture

The race to build one of the last monuments on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. just got a little more interesting today with the unveiling of six competing designs for the new National Museum of African American History. The designs, which are represented by concept drawings, photographs and models and vary widely from the more formalist proposals to wholly amorphous schemes, will be on view at the Smithsonian Museum now through April 3.

The six finalist teams are Devrouax & Purnell Architects with Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects; Diller Scofidio Renfro with KlingStubbins; Foster + Partners in joint venture with the URS Corp; Freelon Adjaye Bond with SmithGroup: Moody Nolan with Antoine Predock and Moshe Safdie and Associates with Sultan Campbell Britt & Associates.

The museum will be located on a five-acre plot of land adjacent to the Washington Monument on Constitution Avenue. It is expected to cost $500 million and be LEED Certified. Construction is expected to begin in 2012 with completion planned for 2015.

The winning team will be announced in mid-April.

Sharon McHugh
US Correspondent