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| April 4, 2007 Dear Coalition Friends: The National Capital Planning Commission has issued a press release announcing the "Framing a Capital City" symposium to be held next Wednesday, April 11, at the National Building Museum. Scroll to the end of the release to see the program for the day-long event, or go here . For Immediate Release Vision of Washington's Future is Subject of Symposium"Framing a Capital City" to feature nation's leading experts Washington, DC - A diverse group of gifted city planners, designers, scholars, and architects is coming to the nation's capital on April 11 to explore initiatives that will help shape Washington's continued future as a world-class capital city. The event, Framing a Capital City, is a collaborative effort of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), and the National Building Museum (Museum). Participants are coming from throughout the National Capital Region and from as far away as the state of Nevada. For the last 200 years, Washington D.C.'s inspiring architecture, museums, treasured monuments, and magnificent public spaces have helped create a vibrant national capital. While the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans have withstood the test of time, we are now at a critical juncture regarding the future of America's capital. The public's desire for national commemoration continues to increase, but space to accommodate commemorative works is diminishing. The demand on the city's natural and historic resources is also a challenge. While economic growth has generated new opportunities in Washington, it also has increased pressure on Washington's resources and vital green space. The experts will focus on these and other critical issues and help inform the development of the National Capital Framework Plan, a joint initiative of NCPC and CFA to guide federal planning in Washington throughout the 21st century. "To many citizens and visitors, the image of the nation's capital centers on the National Mall and the revered public institutions that surround it-the White House, the Capitol and the museums of the Smithsonian Institution," said NCPC Executive Director Patricia Gallagher. "The Framework Plan strives to broaden that image, recognizing and celebrating the whole city as a national treasure." The Framework Plan will focus on improving visual, symbolic and physical connections between all quadrants of the city and the monumental core; creating exciting new destinations beyond the National Mall for cultural attractions; and enriching the experience of all Americans. "This is an opportunity, in thinking about the next 100 years, to recover and update the 200-year-old idea of the whole city, not just the National Mall, as symbol of our history and national identity," said panelist Judy Scott Feldman, chair of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall. "Even the Mall needs rethinking so that it can continue to serve its dual purpose as an urban park and civic stage for our ever-evolving democracy." The symposium is designed to facilitate a national level dialogue about the future of our nation's capital. Representatives from states around the country will be traveling to Washington on behalf of their governors. Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen is sending his state architect, Mike Fitts, to represent Tennessee. "Our Bicentennial Mall State Park was designed to be similar to the National Mall in Washington," said Fitts. Located north of the Tennessee State Capitol, the 19-acre park includes a Pathway of History, a World War II Memorial, an amphitheatre, and unimpeded views of the Tennessee Capitol. "We are always looking to Washington to be a model for the rest of the country and we welcome any chance to support the continuation of the nation's capital as a model to emulate. Doing so is a direct benefit to us." said Fitts. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who is supportive of the goals outlined in NCPC's and CFA's Framework Plan, will welcome participants and deliver opening remarks. Robert Ivy, editor-in-chief of Architectural Record will moderate the event. Professor Lawrence J. Vale of MIT will discuss efforts by other capital cities to address the challenges they face in their dual role as a national capital and a living city. "The challenge for Washington planners is to enhance a world-class capital that meets national priorities while preserving the city's livability for its citizens," said Professor Vale. "Washington is very much a living city, but it also is the seat of the nation's government and the symbolic focal point of the nation, so I think it's wonderful that experts from all over the country have been invited to contribute to Washington's future," said Thomas J. Schoeman, president of JMA, an architectural firm in Las Vegas. Mr. Shoeman is traveling to the nation's capital at the request of Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons. Professor Tim Beatley of the University of Virginia School of Architecture will explore a range of ideas for bringing nature back to the city. For example, says Beatley, "how can the nation's capital become a leader in sustainability and how might we maximize opportunities to make our built environment greener?" "All of these important issues require balancing Washington's dual role as an urban center and a national showcase," said CFA Secretary Thomas Luebke. "These topics transcend local planning concerns and touch on social, political, and economic matters of national importance." "The public is clearly grappling with issues of urban density and how we create sustainable communities while balancing the needs of public space and private development," said Scott Kratz, vice president for education at the National Building Museum. "This symposium aims to address these critical concerns." Participants will debate these important issues through a series of moderated panel discussions. An opening night lecture at the Building Museum on April 10 will feature renowned architect David Childs, whose work includes the Freedom Tower in New York City. He will discuss the past, present, and future of planning for the nation's capital. Childs has an extensive background in Washington, having served as chair of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, the NCPC and the CFA. All panel sessions on April 11 are free, but reservations are required. The Atherton Lecture on April 10 is $12 for Museum members and students and $20 for nonmembers; prepaid registration is required. All reservations may be made via www.nbm.org or 202-272-2448, ext. 5213. The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government's central planning agency in the District of Columbia and surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides overall planning guidance for federal land and buildings in the region. It also reviews the design of federal projects and memorials, oversees long-range planning for future development, and monitors capital investment by federal agencies. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, established in 1910 by an Act of Congress, is charged with giving expert advice to the President, Congress, and the heads of departments and agencies of the federal and District of Columbia governments on matters of design and aesthetics as they affect the federal interest and preserve the dignity of the nation's capital. The National Building Museum is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. The Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. THE PROGRAM FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 8:00 - 9:00 am Registration 9:00 - 10:00 am Welcome and Opening Remarks 10:00 - 11:30 am Commemoration and Symbolic Narrative Panel: Judy Scott Feldman, chair of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall 11:30 am Break 11:45 am - 12:45 pm Sustaining the City: Urban Ecology Speaker: Timothy Beatley, Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities, University of Virginia School of Architecture 12:45 pm Lunch (boxed lunches available for sale by Firehook Bakery) 2:15 - 3:45 pm Democratic Space Panel: Lucy Barber, Author, Marching on Washington: The Forging of an American Political Tradition 3:45 pm Break 4:00 - 5:30 pm Idea to Reality: Building a Capital City Panel: Maurice Cox, associate Professor, University of Virginia School of Architecture and City Counselor for the City of Charlottesville 5:30 - 6:30 pm Closing Panel All symposium speakers participating in a general discussion moderated by Robert Ivy. |
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