Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Courtyard in Washington, US
The Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard is a large enclosed courtyard in downtown Washington, US, shared by two museum buildings. It is paved with dark granite and planted with ficus and olive trees in white marble containers, and the wavy glass roof lets daylight through without exposing visitors to the weather.
The courtyard opened to the public on November 18, 2007, after renovation of the National Historic Landmark building that houses both museums. It is named for Robert and Arlene Kogod, Washington philanthropists and art collectors.
The courtyard serves as a shared living room between the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, where people pause, meet, or sit among the trees and fountains. Its white marble planters and shallow water pools create a green indoor rest area in the middle of a historic stone building.
Visitors can move through the space in most weather because the roof closes off the open air while still letting light filter down. The seating areas and planters are arranged to allow for free walking and resting between gallery visits.
The roof is held up by eight columns placed only around the perimeter, so no support touches the old building walls. It also has four water scrims, each just a quarter of an inch deep, giving the floor a barely wet sheen without forming real pools.
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