Mid-Century Modernism in Southwest
Tour Description
Southwest is full of mid-century modernist architectural gems. These include Arena Stage, River Park, and I.M. Pei's Town Center East. However, the neighborhood also gained notoriety as an early site of urban renewal. Follow along to learn details about these interesting sites, and gain new insight into the neighborhood's history.
This walking tour covers 2 miles and will take approximately 50 minutes to complete.
Locations for Tour
Mid-Century Modernism in Southwest: River Park
River Park was designed by Charles Goodman and constructed in 1962. The gated community includes nine-story apartment buildings and unusual barrel-roofed apartments. The distinctive use of aluminum for ornament and the townhouses' roofs was the…
Channel Square
Channel Square is also one of the very few apartment buildings in DC by noted architect, Harry Weese. Though he was trained under and appreciated the Modernist approach, Weese is often considered one of the first postmodern architects, which can be…
Harbour Square
The buildings stand tallest at the west end, where the complex opens in a U shape to maximize views of the river, and they drop to three stories near 4th Street where they embrace and incorporate three historic landmarks: Wheat Row (1793), the…
Tiber Island
Designed by Keyes, Lethbridge and Condon and completed in 1965, Tiber Island was part of the nation’s first Urban Renewal project. As part of the premier project, Tiber Island was considered a model for the rest of the country for its role in…
Arena Stage
Arena Stage is the home of a major Washington cultural institution and nationally prominent pioneer in the American Regional Theater movement. The innovative design of the theater, built in 1960, expresses evolving theater production concepts.…
Town Center East
The twin nine-story Modernist buildings of Town Center East, designed by I.M. Pei, face each other across a landscaped yard. The complex is mirrored by Town Center West on the opposite side of the original Town Center Plaza retail center. The…
Capitol Park Apartments
Capitol Park Apartments was built on the site of Dixon’s Court, long considered a notorious alley slum. Photographs of impoverished conditions in the alley with the Capitol dome in the background were widely distributed, and were even used in Soviet…