National Museum of African American History and Culture
TYLin provided structural engineering services for a new LEED Gold certified museum facility located on a prominent site on the National Mall.
The derives its primary architectural idea from the classical tripartite column and from Yoruban art and architecture. Its permanent exhibits house cultural artifacts including a Pullman train car and a Tuskegee Airmen WWII airplane.
TYLin’s participation in this project began with an initial programming study in Fall 2008. The firm was then a member of the building design team, working in collaboration with Guy Nordenson and Associates. TYLin’s scope of work was the foundation, below-grade structural design, and portions of the above-grade CA work.
The building superstructure is reinforced cast-in-place concrete below grade and structural steel above grade. Site considerations included flood resiliency, the area’s poor soils and high water table, and the archaeology of the historic National Mall site.
Image credit: Richard Barnes (construction image)