Smithsonian Names Architect for the Bezos Learning Center
The Smithsonian has chosen the architectural firm Perkins&Will to design the Bezos Learning Center, which will be located on the east side of the National Air and Space Museum at its flagship location on the National Mall. Perkins&Will was among five architectural firms that competed in the final phase of the design-firm selection. The Bezos Learning Center will be funded by a large portion of a $200 million gift from Jeff Bezos to the Smithsonian. It will provide space for educational programs and activities. The building will also include a restaurant for museum visitors.
The Smithsonian will work closely with Perkins&Will on the design of the center with construction anticipated to begin in 2025. A construction firm has not yet been selected.
“Having worked with the architects behind the National Museum of African American History and Culture, I understand how important a building’s design is to its mission, its functionality, its character and its ability to engage the people who enter its doors,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. “We look forward to working with the architects of Perkins&Will on the design of the Bezos Learning Center to produce another unique Smithsonian landmark on the National Mall that will expand and enhance our educational impact.”
Perkins&Will, which was founded in 1935 in Chicago, was selected because of its project experience, past performance and management approach. The firm has substantial experience in museum and educational facility design, and it integrates significant food service amenities and sustainable design strategies into those projects, which include the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Shanghai Natural History Museum in Shanghai, the University of Washington Life Sciences Building in Washington, the Ransom Everglades School’s STEM Building in Florida, the University of Ottawa STEM Complex in Ontario and the University of Minnesota Bell Museum in Minnesota.
“We look forward to working with the team at Perkins&Will as they develop a design,” said Chris Browne, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the museum. “They have demonstrated experience in similar projects, and I am confident they will design a building that will serve as an incredible resource for educational programming.”
Twenty-three teams responded in early 2022 to the Request for Qualifications. The teams were narrowed to five finalists and were asked to submit conceptual designs for the center solely to demonstrate their design aesthetic. These designs were presented for public comment in September 2022. Smithsonian staff from various offices, including Planning, Design and Construction, Contracting, Administration, as well as the National Air and Space Museum, made up the committee to select the design firm.
“It’s a great honor for us at Perkins&Will to be selected to design another project on the National Mall,” said Bridget Lesniak, managing principal. “I speak on behalf of our entire project team—including Ralph Johnson and Zena Howard—when I say that this is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the power of design to shape the future.”
During the design phase, the Smithsonian will conduct Section 106 historic preservation consultation and seek approvals from the National Capital Planning Commission and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The Institution will continue to consult with other agencies including the National Park Service. Interested parties will have the opportunity to participate in design consultation and provide comments through the Section 106 process. The building is anticipated to open in 2027.
About the Bezos Learning Center
The center will be an Institution-wide resource, serving as a critical link between learners and the Smithsonian’s unparalleled collections. It will take full advantage of the expertise and collections of the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian. The center will create programming through innovative community partnerships to reach students and teachers in Washington, D.C., and across the country, with a focus on under-resourced communities. Its first program was the Student Architecture and Design Challenge for the design of an element for the center. For more information on the Bezos Learning Center, visit the museum’s website.
About the National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport. The Udvar-Hazy Center is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free, but there is a $15 fee for parking at the Udvar-Hazy Center.
About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. Guided by its core values—design excellence, diversity and inclusion, living design, research, resilience, social purpose, sustainability and well-being—the firm is committed to designing a better, more beautiful world. Architizer named Perkins&Will the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023, and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter—making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction. With an international team of more than 2,000 professionals, the firm has over 20 studios worldwide, providing integrated services in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.
# # #
SI-188-2023
