Will Porphyry be part of the National Mall Design Competition?
Posted by Roger Murphy on Mon, Sep 19, 2011 @ 10:49 AM
Will Porphyry be part of the National Mall Design Competition?
If ever a landscape material fulfilled the design intent of a project, Porphyry paving materials fit the National Mall rehabilitation.
From the 1792 plan of Pierre L’Enfant, through the 1902 McMillan Commission
plan, it is said that the National Mall has been loved to death. Some 25 million visitors and 3,000 annual permitted events are taking a toll on this the most visited of our national parks. It simply has not been built to withstand this level of visitation and be maintained properly. The Trust for the National Mall has launched the Official National Mall Design Competition to get creative and sustainable solutions to these issues starting with three specific sites. The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall. Union Square, the Washington Monument Grounds at the Sylvan Theater, and Constitution Gardens are the three prominent sites.
A 36 week contest, among teams of landscape architects and urban designers, will be looking for recommendations about how to best redesign these areas. The deadline for registration is October 8, 2011. The goal is to respectfully rehabilitate and refurbish these areas to accommodate very high levels of use with an emphasis on sustainability for future levels of use. The Trust is expected to raise $350 million dollars and the Interior Department has agreed to match any private funds raised. The goal is to bring in a total of $700 million dollars for the entire multi-year restoration project.
To learn more about the design competition, Click Below
http://www.nationalmall.org/design-competition/rethink-restore-rebuild
To download the Design Manual, Click Below
http://www.nationalmall.org/design-competition/competition-manual
Throughout the design requirements for all three sites is the need for storm water management which will require permeable paving solutions. To meet this need and fulfill the need for longevity, repairability, and beauty – ADA compliant Porphyry stone paving materials need to be prominent among the choices for the many paving surfaces in these unique spaces.
Photos Courtesy National Capitol Planning Commission
Porphyry's composition determines its high compression strength, resistance to stains, slip resistance, and high freeze/thaw ratings. The stone is the most popular paver in Europe, and is favored for its flexibility in design, beauty, durability and low maintenance requirements. Porphyry pavers are adaptable to a permeable paving set. The stone is by far one of the most durable pavers in the world. These materials are available from Milestone Imports. – www.milestoneimports.com
