Rugo was enlisted early in this project by the project landscape architect, GGN, and was instrumental in sourcing the granite types for the massive yet complex and gentle curving site walls and water feature.
Rugo prepared all the stone shop drawings, which displayed an elaborate grading plan and multiple radii for the perimeter granite site walls. The stone fabrication and installation were very complex, and Rugo’s master masons did an outstanding job with a sophisticated layout and installation. The water feature has many unique design elements, including inlaid bronze letters designed in our factory into large black granite slabs.
The project has received multiple awards for design and craftsmanship, and the museum is considered an architectural icon in the city. The project won the Natural Stone Institute’s Tucker Award in 2018.
Location: Washington, DC
Completion: 2016
Owner: Smithsonian Institution
Architect: Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN)
General Contractor: Clark / Smoot / Russell Jvt
Size: 52,000 sqft
Services: Design, fabricate and install complex granite water feature, site walls, and paving
