Washington Alexandria Architecture Center

Page curated by Sophia Moustaid and Xiwen Liu

Washington-Alexandria Architecture center VT

This was one of my personal favorite activities. We were so fortunate to talk to the director of the Architecture center, Susan Piedmont-Palladino who gave us an in-depth tour of the architecture building, where we got to see some of the most exciting student achievements, and taught us how to think like a urban developer. Who knew that those stars on the buildings in Old Town, Alexandria actually had a purpose? I'm seriously considering becoming an urban developer now...

Piedmont-Palladino also taught us about the importance of a cities history in understanding why they are organized and designed in a certain way. For example, Alexandria and Georgetown's unique "old town" feel was preserved because the cities became "useless" early on. She also touched on the book we have been reading, "Chocolate City", which exposes the good, the bad, and the unexpected about Washington, DC. (Laura Brancati)

Photo by Evan Wollerton

The Architecture Center was such a unique building, full of objects and student creations of all sorts. There were small cement pillars throughout the halls, glass objects, a piano, and funky chairs. These objects were sometimes intentional creations, other were failed experiments. The image to left was a failed glass experiment that are now being used as doorstops. It showed the creative process as a nonlinear one, and that even mistakes can have a purpose. (Grace Lyons)

Art Is Around

Creativity is a human reflex. We create art when we build the society we exist in, and Architecture is a prime example of this. When thinking of art most trains of thought flutter to a painting or music, despite this possibly being the least common expression of art. Architecture is 3D art and most art is created with it. It inspires and nurtures the people and should be appreciated. I'm personally extremely glad I had the opportunity to visit Susan Piedmont-Palladino in her Alexandria workplace because it refreshed the wonder of human possibility. The things we build are useful and beautiful and this adds a whimsical air to it.

(Kai Okai-Brown)

Photo Taken by Kai Okai-Brown

Architectural Innovations: The Stair Stage and More!

The window of the library

The main "stage"

DIY "stage seats" on the stairs (and little coffee table)

Piano stage (and Justin is playing!)

Photos by Xiwen Liu

The most surprising thing for me is how the students and the faculty built and shaped the space. The picture we show above is the "stair stage". They made those little chairs by themselves. The chairs and little tables could be put on the stairs to make it like an audience space. At the same time, the other side would become the stage. There's also a window from the library through which could see what is happening on the stage. There's even a piano at the top of the stairs! I could even imagine when someone has things in their mind, they could gather everybody to this little stage and present on this cute little stage. That is amazing. This is only a little part of space's wonderful creations. Some students designed and made the winding staircase that leads to the library, while others painted original designs on the wall. Everyone left something meaningful to this public space, leaving all to be utilized by others in the future. (Xiwen Liu)

Design Features that caught OUr Eye

Photo from George Shi

Photos speak for me.

Applying What We LEARNED

Looking at Alexandria's Old Town Architecture

Walking down Prince Street in Old Town, Alexandria, many of us would likely be charmed by the brick row houses and occasional shops, but not think about our surroundings much beyond that. However, with some advice from Architect and Architectural Professor Susan Piedmont-Palladino, our group learned a few key points of context behind this historic neighborhood and some critical ways to look at the architecture. First, Professor Piedmont-Palladino said that the Old Town architecture in Alexandria was not preserved intentionally, but by nature of Alexandria becoming 'obsolete' economically; what had previously been a valuable port could no longer compete with the ports of Norfolk, Baltimore, and Philadelphia once ships were built larger. Rather than choosing to preserve the brick row houses for their particular historic style or charm, the area was simply not one that experienced a lot of growth and redesign. With this in mind, Professor Piedmont-Palladino encouraged us to consider what we take for granted right now, what we don't pay attention to, and how in the future, we might want to have preserved these things (what should we be mindful of in avoiding careless destruction and reconstruction?). This kind of reflection and awareness seems to me to be a practice in mindfulness that could be applied to all kinds of areas of our lives, not just architecture and urban design.

Photo by Xiwen Liu

Another key thing that stuck with me from our meeting with Professor Piedmont-Palladino was her comment that architects pay attention to everything. Noticing details and being able to analyze them and reflect on the meaning behind them is what allows architects to practice design that is aesthetically appealing, functional, and meaningful. We can apply this type of attentiveness to our lens while continuing down Prince Street towards the waterfront. Note how the buildings get older closer to the river in accordance with the changes in transportation preferences. The river was historically the prime site for the economy, and everything was clustered close so people could walk or be transported by horse or carriage; later, the railroad was more of an economic draw when the Alexandria port became obsolete, so the population moved inward, and so on. See, too, how the end of Prince Street is paved with cobblestones. With a critical perspective, consider where they must have come from, and why they were used-- these cobblestones are not native to Virginia, and were imported on trade ships, then dumped at the edge of the water. The brick used for the buildings, however, fits with a more local architectural vernacular, created from the clay of the Tidewater region.

... This kind of analysis can continue in all kinds of different directions! The most important thing seems to be to remember to consider what is behind what you see and why it exists that way; question why things are the way they are and you may come to a deeper understanding of not only your physical environment, but also the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to it. (Alice Baughman)

Recognizing the History Behind the King Street Curve

I've seen the "King Street Curve" - where King Street takes a sharp right turn beneath the Masonic Temple - that Susan Piedmont-Palladino mentioned so many times while riding the train to/from school, as the southbound Amtrak platform looks out over that intersection. I never knew that it was the original road demarcating the boundary of Washington, DC; or that retrocession would (still) be an issue which has competing narratives like the Civil War. Seeing the little blurb at the waterfront about retrocession and its basis in voting rights/taxation rather than the actual reason (slavery) shows how the narratives we tell might not also be the narratives that tell the truth. (Justin Oei)

Beautiful Mistakes

As we were walking around Old Town I realized many of the buildings were charmingly adorned with metal stars aligned in a neat row. But these stars are much more than a cute decoration! Over time the bricks in the walls holding these houses together would start to squeeze together under the immense weight they were supporting. Especially in cases where many buildings were lined up in a connecting row, and the last house in the row would have to carry the weight of all the houses in the row. As a result, the walls of the houses would start to change shape and separate from each other, causing a fatter center to the building and damaging its structural integrity.

The stars were actually implemented as an ornament, which Susan describes as an addition that solves a problem and turns into something aesthetically pleasing. They serve as an end piece to a thick wrought iron bar that holds the building together, preventing the walls from buckling. Showing just one of many examples of how architects are able to creatively turn problems into something new and innovative. (Jill Preston)

Interrogating ALexandria's History: A Hometown Lens

Located a block away from my first Summer job, our conversation with Susan Piedmont Palladino at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center encouraged me to interrogate the design of my hometown with a renewed analytical lens. It is easy to be oblivious to the insidious history of Old Town Alexandria. In fact, the city is intentionally curated so. However, Susan Piedmont Palladino emphasized just how much Alexandria's development was dependent on its dependency on slavery. Previously part of the District of Columbia, Alexandria retroceded from the nations capital in 1846 largely because it was a bustling market for Chattel slavery. The Town Square that now holds the weekly farmers market was originally the site of slave auctions and brutal family separation. The inherent beauty of Old Town's historic charm is undercut by the inhuman practice that created the city's wealth. I challenge Alexandria's historical societies to be brave enough to present our history as complicated and sinister as it was lived. On tours of my hometown, I hope tourists learn more than simply where George Washington would drink. (Sophia Moustaid)

Looking out the window

A fact that was consistently emphasized during our visit is that the WAAC dos not exist in a vacuum, but rather is just one part of the larger city of Alexandria. Keeping this in mind, I took photos out the windows of the building, keeping the focus on the city beyond. Enjoy this slideshow of my favorite images. (Abby Riemer)

Buildings With Personality

As we walked from the Architecture Center to the waterfront, we saw many historic buildings that have stood the test of time. But with this time, many different people have called these buildings home, make changes large and small as they came and went. Today, this means that each historical building has its own character and flair, whether it be a bright red door, a clamshell wreath, or staying true to the historic style. As we walked, we began picking which houses we felt best matched each person's personality. (Meghan Smith)

This tour raised questions about the ethics of building restrictions to maintain a specific style and aesthetic. The same phenomenon is present in Williamsburg and in my hometown, Charlottesville, where a lack of housing supply due to building restrictions has resulted in skyrocketing house prices and suburban sprawl. However, it is difficult to resent these restrictions, as they help to maintain the character of historic communities such as Old Town Alexandria. (Evan Wollerton)

Book Spotlight

If you want to learn more about the evolution of the Washington area's urban design through a historical lens, check out Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital

by Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove

(Sophia Moustaid)

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