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Field Session

WED-FS-08: Exploring the U.S. Capitol Grounds and U.S. Botanic Garden Landscapes

Wednesday, October 9, 2024
8:00am – 12:30pm ET
Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Field Session Departure Area 2
SOLD OUT Extensive Walking Public Transportation
3.00 PDH, LA CES/HSW, AICP, ISA, SITES AP, NY/HSW, FL
Ticket Price: $75 per person
An Architect of the Capitol (AOC) team guides a 4-hour civic campus walk featuring Senate Parks, Union Square, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and Capitol Square. Landscape architects, horticulturists, and arborists present historic design, recent plans, and projects addressing preservation, sustainability, universal access, soils, trees, and native plants for an inclusive future.

Includes: Extensive walking.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Reveal the origins and symbolism of the Capitol Grounds as the seat of government within an open accessible landscape.
  • Learn about the evolution of Capitol Grounds landscape design from Olmsted to present, design concepts that make the campus a landscape design laboratory of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
  • Understand the congressional mandate for a universally accessible campus, the challenges, and implementation progress throughout Capitol Grounds.
  • Explore contemporary integration of best practices in preservation and sustainability, restoring Olmsted’s intent with a biodiverse approach, turf management, soil improvements, tree diversity, SITES renovation, and lessons learned.