BIG unveils plans for US$2-billion facelift to Smithsonian’s South Mall campus

The Smithsonian Institution announced plans to give its buildings and gardens a face-lift as designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. The plan entails adding new entrances and refurbishing the iconic Smithsonian Castle along the south side of the Washington Mall.

“It’s a great honour and a humbling challenge to re-imagine one of the most significant American institutions on the front lawn of the nation’s capital,” says Bjarke Ingels, founding partner at BIG and architect of the master plan. The proposal has three primary goals: to improve and expand visitor services and education, to create clear entrances and connections between the museums and gardens, and to replace ageing building mechanical systems.

The initial cost estimate is about US$2 billion (HK$15.51 billion), to be funded from a mix of federal and private sources. BIG is a group of architects and designers operating in the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development, based in Copenhagen and New York.