Constitution Center, Washington, D.C.

Legacy

As the headquarters for almost 40 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the David Nassif Building was a commanding presence along 7th & D streets, SW. Following a dramatic, complete renovation, including a name change to Constitution Center, the site currently houses the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Redesigned by architect David Varner of SmithGroupJJR, the new, elegant, energy-efficient building has a spectacular, lush one-acre interior courtyard designed by landscape architect Don Hoover of OCULUS. Located in the courtyard, the sculpture Legacy pays tribute to the celebrated design of the original building and its architect, Edward Durell Stone. The Constitution Center’s website describes the work as “interlocking granite elements which reflect the quadrants of the former building, and the granite elements incorporate vertical striations in the stones to evoke the memory of the former marble façade.”