The Landscape Architect’s Guide to

Washington, D.C.

The National Mall & Memorial Parks

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Your Guide
Hallie Boyce, ASLA
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Completed in 1999, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was designed by OLIN as a series of outdoor rooms which extend the Gallery’s mission of sharing the finest works of art with the public. At the time of the design effort, the actual sculptures that would be displayed had not yet been determined. Influenced by A.J. Downing’s 1851 plan for the National Mall which proposed “a public museum of living trees and shrubs," the lush plantings create a frame for each “gallery,” largely consisting of American trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. At the garden’s center, a generous pool surrounded by an aerial hedge of pre-existing European lindens provides a refreshing experience particularly during Washington’s sultry summer months.

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