Neighborhoods
Landscape Architect Guides

The Landscape Architect’s Guide to

Washington, D.C.

The National Mall & Memorial Parks

Constitution Gardens

●Constitution Ave, NW between 20th and 18th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
☎(202) 426-6841
↗Website
MSmithsonian
Susan Spain, ASLA

Constitution Gardens was completed in 1976 as a picturesque, restful park, with small 7-acre lake. The Gardens were designed to contrast with the “formalism of the Grand Axis,” the long stretch of the Mall that runs east to west from the Lincoln Memorial to Union Square. Together, Constitution Gardens and a memorial to the signers of the Declaration of Independence honor the founding documents, ideas, and values of our nation.

Learn more about the history of Constitution Gardens.

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Historic Ponds

Historic photo of fishing ponds.

Image: National Park Service

Signers Island

1984 view of Constitution Gardens and Signers Island.

Image: National Park Service

A Picturesque, Restful Park

In a series of plans and designs, architecture firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) and modern landscape architect Dan Kiley completed Constitution Gardens in 1976 as a picturesque, restful park with a small lake, which would contrast with the “formalism of the Grand Axis.” Meandering paths would traverse meadows shaded by tree canopy.

Image: National Park Service

View Across the Lake

Looking east across Constitution Gardens Lake.

Image: National Park Service

An Island in the Lake

The 56 Signers Memorial is on an island in Constitution Gardens Lake. The Washington Monument dominates much of the National Mall.

Image: American Society of Landscape Architects

Memorial Entrance

Entrance of the Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Image: National Park Service

56 Granite Blocks

Granite blocks with the signatures of 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Image: National Park Service

Gilded Signatures

Close-up view of gilded signatures, including John Hancock.

Image: National Park Service

Mutual Pledge

Mutual pledge text from the Declaration of Independence at the 56 Signers Memorial.

Image: National Park Service

Trust for National Mall Design Competition

A 2011/12 national design competition was sponsored by the Trust for the National Mall to select a design team for the redesign of three sites: Constitution Gardens, the Sylvan Theater area of the Washington Monument grounds, and Union Square. The design team of Peter Walker and Partners and Roger Marvels Architects was selected for the Constitution Gardens site.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects

Preserving the Biomorphic Design

The design competition provides a starting point in the redesign of the site. Peter Walker and Partners and Rogers Marvel Architects’ competition submittal respected the legacy of the SOM work and focused on creating a functioning ecology, thresholds to the gardens, and increased activity. It retained the amorphous, “biomorphic” design, inspired by the work of Roberto Burle Marx, and location for a restaurant.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects

A New Landform

The proposal heightened the sense of a surprise with a hidden valley that contrasts with the formality of the National Mall. This was achieved by raising the landform near the edges of the site by 8 feet, using a low wall and dual pedestrian entryways.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects

Hockey Rink-Sized

The space for model boating doubles as a skating rink in the winter. The skating rink will be hockey rink-sized.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects

A New Pavilion

One part of the lake, a portion of the pool in front of a visitor services, will offer a pavilion with food and rentals.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects

A New Ecology

Through soil reconstruction, wetland plantings, and a new water filtration system, the redesign of the site is intended to rejuvenate the ecology of the site. Water from the Tidal Basin will be used to periodically flush out the water in the revamped lake.

Image: PWP Landscape Architecture and Rogers Marvel Architects