Washington DC, Columbia, USA
Architecture practice Perkins&Will was selected among five shortlisted firms to design the Bezos Learning Center at the National Air and Space Museum, one of the Smithsonian’s most popular institutions.
“The spiral galaxy—our source of creative inspiration—is all about infinite possibilities,” says Ralph Johnson, design director for Perkins&Will and lead designer for the Bezos Learning Center.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Smithsonian Institution, the National Air and Space Museum, and other key stakeholders to create a design that will inspire the next generation of air and space explorers while honoring the historical context of our National Mall.”
The Bezos Learning Center will occupy the site of the former restaurant pavilion, a pyramid-shaped structure designed by Gyo Obata as an addition to the National Air and Space Museum, built in 1976.
Perkins&Will building will be three stories high and span 50,000 square feet to house science, arts, and technology programming and activities, supplementing the offerings of the adjacent museum, and a restaurant.
The sole donor of this impressive project is Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, that has already donated $200 million; of this sum, $70 million has been used for renovation work at the National Air and Space Museum, while the remaining $130 million is allocated for the Bezos Learning Center whose construction is scheduled to start in 2025, with completion planned for 2027.
Project: Bezos Learning Center
Architects: Perkins&Will
Lead Architect: Ralph Johnson
Renderings: Perkins&Will
