The National Museum opened it past september on the National Mall. A few days earl American History tv spoke with key members of the design team, responsible for the look and feel of the newest museum. Well hear what inspired the distinctive shape and about the ideas behind the history galleries. In about 20 minutes, well show the opening ceremony, including talks about president obama and george w. Bush, and performances be denise graves and stevie wonder. Hi, im the lead designer of the National Meal seem of africanAmerican Museum of culture. We well see when you come to the building. What feeling did you have this feeling would quan . I hope it would give a sense of uplift, but also being connected to this very unique location on the washington mall, on the nations capital, one which should give you a sense of intrigue, one to explore the extraordinary exhibits that are on show here, one that would give you a fantastic overview. At the top of this building you have this fantastic pa
AfricanAmerican Museum. I was one of the arcing tekts. What feeling did you hope this museum would cain . I hope it would give a sense of uplift and being connected to this very unique location on the washington mat on the Nations Capital but one which would also give you a sense of intrigue, to explore the extraordinary exhibits here. You have this fantastic window on washington to see right through you have an International Background. Can you tell us a little bit about that and how that informed your work on this very American Museum . I was born on the heart of the continent. As a teenager i grew up in london and started my practice about 20 years ago. My practice has always had an international outlook. We worked all over the years. The Nobel Peace Center in oslo is one of our proejsz, almost local community projects. Schools and educational environments. Even competition libraries, ex, housing in new york. But when we were asked to join this competition, it was an extraordinary m
New york, plus dozens of projects in development around the world, adjaye says he is trying to make architecture relevant. I hold the work up the highest standards. Thats a given. But, for me, even the highest standards are irrelevant if it doesnt connect to this central issue of people, geography, and histories. Born in tanzania to ghanaian parents, his multinational upbringing inspires his work as an architect. But hes has little in the way of formal training. When i did my research into how architecture was being taught at that time, and what the big voices were, i found that i just disagreed. Because i felt that the discussion had become very formal. Had become about architects navalgazing, in a way. Adjayes brother, who was hit with an illness that left him disabled, has inspired his creations. Public space was, was curated, as it were, to literally use that word curated for ablebodied people. Or for a sort of image of a certain citizenry. Which i think maybe mattered several hund
New york, plus dozens of projects in development around the world, adjaye says he is trying to make architecture relevant. I hold the work up the highest standards. Thats a given. But, for me, even the highest standards are irrelevant if it doesnt connect to this central issue of people, geography, and histories. Born in tanzania to ghanaian parents, his multinational upbringing inspires his work as an architect. But hes has little in the way of formal training. When i did my research into how architecture was being taught at that time, and what the big voices were, i found that i just disagreed. Because i felt that the discussion had become very formal. Had become about architects navalgazing, in a way. Adjayes brother, who was hit with an illness that left him disabled, has inspired his creations. Public space was, was curated, as it were, to literally use that word curated for ablebodied people. Or for a sort of image of a certain citizenry. Which i think maybe mattered several hund
The world, adjaye says he is trying to make architecture relevant. I hold the work up the highest standards. Thats a given. But, for me, even the highest standards are irrelevant if it doesnt connect to this central issue of people, geography, and histories. Born in tanzania to ghanaian parents, his multinational upbringing inspires his work as an architect. But hes has little in the way of formal training. When i did my research into how architecture was being taught at that time, and what the big voices were, i found that i just disagreed. Because i felt that the discussion had become very formal. Had become about architects navalgazing, in a way. Adjayes brother, who was hit with an illness that left him disabled, has inspired his creations. Public space was, was curated, as it were, to literally use that word curated for ablebodied people. Or for a sort of image of a certain citizenry. Which i think maybe mattered several hundred years ago. But seemed grossly, just difficult for me