The future of E Street and the Ellipse came into sharper focus Thursday when a federal agency announced its pick for the area’s redesign, including removing the jersey barriers and metal fencing outside the White House. Rogers Marvel’s winning design emphasizing an open pedestrian promenade overlooking the White House’s south lawn was selected by the National Capital Planning Commission as its winner for the remodel. The New York-based architect was one of five firms competing for the job.
A big selling point of the design was a low wall that encircles the Ellipse and doubles as a bench, security barrier and provides additional lighting, said Commission Chairman Preston Bryant.
Co-founder Rob Rogers said Thursday that the firm’s main goal was to create a design that replaced the existing security barriers with amenities — like a bench — that visually enhance the area known as President’s Park South.
“It humanizes the executive office,” Rogers said. “[Our goal was] to remove the security features from your primary visitor experience. It has to be invisible to the casual observer.”
With the redesign, concrete barriers and rusted fencing along E Street, put in place as temporary security measures following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, would finally be removed. Also, the vehicle entrances on either side of the street would be separated from the pedestrian entrance.
Jonathan Marvel said the firm’s design was meant to revive for visitors the feeling of openness the federal areas evoked before the attacks — without skimping on the needed security.
The National Park Service, which owns the land, and the Secret Service, which installed the security measures, collaborated on a task force overseeing the project. The task force could still incorporate elements from the other four designs into the final plan. One design included installing a cafe near the Ellipse.
The Rogers Marvel team said they expected to collaborate over the next year with the task force in creating a final design. Development of the new park will depend on available funding from the NPS and Secret Service.
