GUTTER CREDITS“The museum will stand the test of time. Its architecture
is inspired by the past and includes traditional
West African influences but built from modern
materials—such as bronzed, lightweight aluminum—
which are completely different from other museums in
D.C. It’s a unique monument and memorial to
diversity, and bridges our past with the present.”DAVID YURMAN, co-founder and CEO, David YurmanNational Museum
of African
American History
and CultureA museum dedicated to African
American life and culture had
been talked about in D.C. for decades,
but it wasn’t until 2016 that one
opened its doors. Working on a site
smack in the middle of the National
Mall, architect David Adjaye designed
the building to stand out among the
marble monuments: Its imposing
exterior is of bronze-colored
aluminum lattice—an homage to
African American metalwork and
craftsmanship—and architectural
elements such as a front porch nod
to the African diaspora.138 OCTOBER 2019
TIM BROWN/ALAMY“The museum will stand the test of time. Its architecture
is inspired by the past and includes traditional
West African influences but built from modern
materials—such as bronzed, lightweight aluminum—
which are completely different from other museums in
D.C. It’s a unique monument and memorial to
diversity, and bridges our past with the present.”DAVID YURMAN, co-founder and CEO, David YurmanNational Museum
of African
American History
and CultureA museum dedicated to African
American life and culture had
been talked about in D.C. for decades,
but it wasn’t until 2016 that one
opened its doors. Working on a site
smack in the middle of the National
Mall, architect David Adjaye designed
the building to stand out among the
marble monuments: Its imposing
exterior is of bronze-colored
aluminum lattice—an homage to
African American metalwork and
craftsmanship—and architectural
elements such as a front porch nod
to the African diaspora.138 OCTOBER 2019
TIM BROWN/ALAMY