Described at its opening in 1978 by Washington Post architecture critic Wolf Von Eckardt as “an architectonic symphony of light and marble, color and glass, painting and sculpture,” the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in the nation’s capital still draws awe-inspired gazes from first-time guests as well as those lucky enough to visit regularly. Designed by New York City’s Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the venerable building has been named the 2004 recipient of the AIA Twenty-five Year Award, honoring structures completed 25 to 35 years ago that have withstood the test of time.

Built of pink Tennessee marble with broad expanses of glass, the 604,000-square-foot structure became an architectural icon—as much sculpture as the art it houses—from the moment it opened its doors. When the East Building won a national AIA Honor Award in 1981, the jury stated, “The marble and glass building was cited for its sensitive grid, meticulous workmanship, dramatic interior vistas, and integration of permanent artwork into public spaces. In a city of monuments, it is appropriate.”

Perfect anchor for the site
It is difficult to imagine another structure that could provide the square footage necessary to house grand-scale traveling exhibits, an office facility for museum personnel, and the Center for Advanced Study of the Visual Arts—and still show proper respect for both its surround and its dignified neighbors. With 30 percent of its space underground, the building does not overwhelm the site. In fact, the underlying reason the building works so well is its embrace of the site, a snub-nosed trapezoid at the convergence of Pennsylvania Avenue and the Mall. The resulting building is a study in triangles: The architects created two complementary triangles for its two main functions of exhibit and office, with a triangular skylighted courtyard to tie the composition together. The study center describes its own smaller triangle, which wraps around a six-story-tall reading room.

This skylighted sculpture court provides a protected space of 16,000 square feet for crowds waiting to see the exhibitions, as well as a stage for formal events. “It is a hub of public reception, orientation, circulation, and also relief from museum fatigue,” in the words of the architects. Three exhibition towers around the court can house one large exhibition, or be broken into smaller spaces for a number of simultaneous shows.

Built of the same pink marble as the original National Gallery (designed by John Russell Pope and opened in 1941), the East Building also shows respect to this older sibling by repeating its strong east-west axis and offering a parallel façade across the court that separates the two buildings. Under the court, a 154,000-square-foot concourse housing a bookstore, restaurant, and other public services connects the two galleries. Atop, seven huge mirrored glass pyramids and a 50-foot-long waterfall echo the triangle motif while delivering light plus the sound and movement of rushing water into the concourse.

Details, details
Among its myriad accolades, the East Building’s 23 Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Awards (many times more than have been given to any other building) attest to the architect’s attention to the smallest detail. Its marble walls, designed to look like the load-bearing blocks of the original building, actually are three-inch cladding in 2-foot x 5-foot pieces that wrap around corners to recreate the effect of solid stone blocks. Arguably, this effect is most striking in the knife-edged wall that turns 19 degrees from the east-west axis to meet the angle of Pennsylvania Avenue. Skilled craftsmanship shows up equally in the 500-ton welded space frame that creates the skylighted roof over the interior court. Picking up the building’s triangle theme, the frame supports double-paned laminated glass that sandwiches an ultraviolet interlayer to protect the artwork from sun damage.

From its inception, the structure has been meticulously maintained for the enjoyment of the millions of visitors who have marveled at both its grand scale and delightful details as much as its artwork. “The East Building continues to serve its original purpose with dignity and grace. It truly meets the criteria of eligibility,” wrote Louis R. Pounders, AIA, for the nominating AIA Committee on Design. “The East Building of the National Gallery is in excellent condition and fully satisfies the requirement for distinguished execution of an original program continuing to function into the present.”

The East Building and its architects will be honored at the American Architectural Foundation’s Accent on Architecture gala March 3 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

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