20 miles outside of Washington DC, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill placed a series of rigorous steel pavilions on top of a plateau to evoke the sense of monumentally befitting the National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA). The museum is foremost a dedication to the story of the individual soldier and draws inspiration from three core military ideals: discipline, modesty, and rigor.
The facade is composed of laser-cut, stainless steel panels based on a three foot grid that refer to a sense of rigor and discipline. At each corner of the pavilions recessed glass panels alternate with painted aluminum fins.
“Symbolism and community were at the core of our design. We wanted to create a place where veterans and their families could feel at home, and establish a new center of national significance that would, in its architecture, express that very significance and evoke three ideals: discipline, modesty, and rigorousness."
Colin Koop, Design Partner at SOM
Inside the visitors enter the grand lobby where a black granite wall lists every campaign in the US Army’s history. A terrazzo floor is inscribed with the Army’s emblem. The striking ceiling with 22 rows of laminated glass panels match the colors of military campaign decorations. The lobby is surrounded by retail, a cafe and exhibition spaces that include a 300-degree theater.
SOM opted for natural materials like stone floors and American white oaks and ash finishes for the interiors to create a sense of warmth and tranquility. Glass and wood thresholds signify a transition between spaces and provide views on the Fort Belvoir Military surroundings.
The architects managed to achieve LEED® Silver certification through the implementation of increased insulation, improved glazing, high-efficiency LED lighting, automatic daylighting controls and occupancy sensors, and a green roof.
