Letter
Dear Mr. Hunter:
In its public meeting of 20 July conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design submission for the renovation and expansion of the Adams Education Campus of the Oyster-Adams Bilingual School, located at 2020 19th Street, NW. The Commission approved the concept design and provided the following comments.
The Commission members expressed appreciation for the proposed design, which they said skillfully addresses the significant challenges of steep topography across the site, the need to retain the existing historic school building, and the requirement for additional program to be accommodated in a relatively small parcel. For the development of the design, they recommended studying the design of the entrance portal on 19th Street, potentially using brick to frame the entrance instead of pre- patinated copper, which they said may appear to be artificially uniform. They also expressed support for the landscape design, citing the creative use of fragmented spaces on the highly constrained site to provide outdoor play areas and seating for the students and the surrounding neighborhood.
For the next submission, please continue to consult with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Delano Hunter, Acting Director
D.C. Department of General Services
3924 Minnesota Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20019
cc: David Bagnoli, Studio MB
Adrienne McCray, Lee & Associates
Oni Gaston, D.C. Public Schools