BIG Chosen as a Candidate for the New United States Navy Museum Plan

The Naval Heritage History and Command (NHHC) has announced that Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has made the shortlist for the competition to design the new United States Navy Museum. This contest aims to create a state-of-the-art museum honoring the history of the United States Navy, which will be open to the general public and a venue for educational and cultural activities. DLR Group, Frank Gehry Partners, Quinn Evans, and Perkins&Will round out the remaining finalists.

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The New United States Navy Museum

There will be a new structure and a ceremonial square at the future United States Navy Museum, and the site’s old architectural gems will also be restored. The competition focused on the design of six significant aspects of the building:

The overall form and massing of the structure
The main entryway
The Arium
The marque exhibition space
The ceremonial “honor” plaza
The incorporation of miniature relics

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Roughly 270,000 square feet would make up the campus, with another 100,000 square feet dedicated to exhibition space. According to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the museum will be built on the ground close to the Washington Navy Yard, and this area would be acquired by either a land swap or a one-time purchase.

BIG designed the museum in tandem with Squint/Opera and Olin Studio to pay homage to the Navy Yards’ rich history through maritime-inspired scale, materials, and ornamentation. The museum has significant glass display cases facing the street, allowing pedestrians to glance inside and learn about the history, goals, and accomplishments of the United States Navy.

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The first declaration was made in December 2022, and since then, 80 firms have expressed interest in taking part, 37 companies have filed credentials, and the Navy has narrowed the field down to 5 architecture firms. The competition’s creative ideas were announced at a public event at the DC Navy Yard, and the winning works will be on exhibit at the United States Navy Museum in the Washington Navy Yard.