A traveling fellowship in Architecture

2000 Competition Overview

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was signed into law in 1984 by President Reagan. The Institute's origins, however, date to the earliest days of the Republic, when drafters of the Constitution first debated the idea of a National Peace Institute. Its mission is to "strengthen the nation's capabilities to promote the peaceful resolution of international conflicts. A prominent site was chosen for the Institute at the corner of 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue directly across from the Lincoln Memorial.

The focus of the competition will be limited to the design of an Entryway and Conference Center at the corner of 22nd and Constitution. The center will provide access to the site and serve as the link between the public and private roles of the USIP. It will also house the primary meeting areas for the Institute and include support areas such as a cafeteria, seminar rooms, conference rooms and media access.

The primary aspiration of this competition is to design a new prototype for interaction. It should include the interaction between people and; history; mythology; nationality; the city; the site; the building; the building components; the public; the Institute of Peace; and the people who look toward the Institute for assistance. It should be designed to stand in isolation as well as to suggest the future evolution of the site.