Replacement WH exercise
This is an interesting video done, apparently, as an architecture-school exercise in replacing the WH with a new structure. In this case, the structure chosen was a couple of elevator shafts and a staircase, I guess.
This related site is about open-source (brick-and-mortar) architecture but uses a new WH as its central exercise. (Pete, you may be interested in the SketchUp model of the area around the WH.)
This calls to mind a thought experiment. Since the capital was not moved to Cincinnati after the 1814 fire, we have a capital that sits at the extreme east of the nation. Some presidents have maintained a "Little White House" or "Western White House," primarily as vacation getaways, but do we need a genuine "Western White House" for the president to sometimes work out of and what would it look like?
Labels: architects, dementia, discussion
posted by Derek @ 5:31 PM
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5 Comments:
I think there already is a Western White House. It is an underground bunker at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. I have seen a photo of a small building there which essentially houses a staircase and elevator leading underground. There is a photo of President Bush in the bunker there on September 11, 2001 at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/images/20010911-16_p7093-16-515h.html
that's not a house.
I know, of course that it is not a house, but it has been a place where the President has worked.
I would envision the Western White House to reflect the President in office when it is designed, just as George Washington led the design team for the Eastern White House. And, I would predict its location -- which state -- would depend upon the sitting President at that time, just as George Washington selected land near his home on the Potomac River.
But in this age of wireless communications, just as President Bush has a small "situation room" at his ranch, the President can work anywhere and visually communicate with just about anyone, so I doubt any President would see the need to select one location for another official residence.
Scary. The problem with architects is that they spend too much time in architecture school. : )
It's certainly interesting. Not my thing though.
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