Project: Olmsted Walk Design Guidelines

2018 Merit Award for Analysis, Planning, and Urban Design

Presented to Smithsonian National Zoological Park

2018 Merit Award Winner, The Smithsonian Zoological Park, exhibited excellent Analysis, Planning, and Urban Design for their Olmstead Walk Design Guidelines. Helping to set the tone at the Olmstead Walk at the National Zoo, the Guidelines set a vision for the aesthetic character of the promenade and surrounding landscape, to improve visitor experience by increasing visual unity, visitor amenities, and spatial orientation. With a consistency of purpose and appearance, each new project will contribute to the broader vision with appropriate scale, function, and character. The Guidelines present a sustainable approach to provide for programmatic needs while also preserving the scenic quality, expanding ecological function, limiting costs, shaping the visitor experience, and balancing the historic quality of the site with visitor and institutional demands. This document reinforces a respect of the Zoo’s cultural context, its natural resources, and enhanced programmatic needs.