Acoustics of Modern and Old Museums. Presented at: NOISE-CON 2013. Hostile to comfortable and acceptable sound presentation. This situation is made.
Main Elevation: the building occupies a prominent site at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th St NW, only a block West of the White House and directly adjacent to the Blair House. Masonry was restored and 34 new windows were installed.Photo by Kevin Reeves, Courtesy of Westlake Reed LeskoskyHome to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s arts and crafts program since 1972, the Renwick Gallery was built in 1859 as the original Corcoran Gallery of Art. It is a principal structure in the Smithsonian Institution portfolio, based on the era of construction and its historic significance as the first purpose-built art museum in America. The building was originally designed by James Renwick, Jr., the architect of the Smithsonian’s “Castle” and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. It is often referred to as the American Louvre, with many similarities to the Second Empire Style Tuileries Gallery of the Louvre in France.
The building was at risk of being demolished in the 1960s to make room for a new government facility. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy led a successful campaign to bring new stewardship to the facility, including a modernization to restore the building’s use as a museum. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1969, and was one of the first buildings of the modern historic preservation movement.Historic Photo (1861).Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art MuseumFast forward to the 21 st century and the building’s comprehensive two-year renovation program, the first in 45 years, to address aging infrastructure, worn finishes, and align systems with today’s standards and codes.
The integrated design firm Westlake Reed Leskosky was selected as architect engineer (2012), and Consigli Construction Co., Inc., as general contractor (2014), to carefully develop an approach to ensure the building would reach both old and new audiences for the next 50 years, efficiently, sustainably, and openly. 13, 2015, the museum opened again to the public, with an innovative exhibit, “Wonder,” which has generated significant interest in the intersection of art and historic architecture.