This project is an excellent example of the sustainability of natural stone. Rugo Stone had originally furnished, engraved, and textured a unique corduroy finish on marble to display the 1st Amendment and installed a 52′ x 74′ high stone wall of Tennessee Pink marble at the now-closed Newseum building in Washington, DC. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia acquired the marble from the former Newseum building in Washington, D.C., during its renovation in 2019. The marble from Newseum was carefully cataloged, salvaged, restored, and reformatted from a portrait- to landscape-style layout to fit the available space inside the National Constitution Center. Reformatting and rescuing the panels in a legible format was a complicated yet ultimately successful effort.
This 86′ x 24′ wall features surface-mounted metal letters with the 45 words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The repurposed marble of the Newseum is a fitting tribute to the First Amendment and a way to preserve a piece of American history.
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Completion Date: 2022
Owner: The National Constitution Center
Architect: Elia Architecture
General Contractor: Architecture & Interiors LLC
Size: 1,859 Sqft
Services Performed: Design Consultation, Salvaging, restoration, fabrication and Installation
