While there is security at the entrance, it is a public friendly building. "The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, named after former United States President Ronald Reagan, is the first federal building in Washington, D.C. designed for both governmental and private sector purposes." Below is a short tour for those of you who cannot make it out! There is also a nice collection of American national flags displayed within historic context and someday I may post those photos that I took. Today this post is all about the architecture (Mage ;-)).
This part of the building above leads to food courts and gift shops and offices. Massively impressive, is it not? I think the neon tubes are called Route Zenith and designed by Keith Sonnier. It is 49 feet high by 30 feet wide and the largest neon work in North America.
"Designated as the official World Trade Center Washington, DC (WTCDC), our International Trade Center is part of a global network of 750,000 affiliated businesses from 330 trade centers in over 100 countries. Utilizing these connections, in conjunction with U.S. government trade agencies, embassies, think tanks and business associations, our Office for Trade Promotion (OTP) can help expand your reach and help you make a global impact." (Text taken from the web site.)
The stairway on the other side was blocked by a large screen and they were getting ready for a USAID event.
Not sure what this contemporary architectural torch represents at the top of the escalator, but I have learned the building has an APP (Doesn't everyone? Don't you?) that gives you a guided tour from your phone and maybe I can research it. Wish I had known that when I was there.
This photo above was taken from their web site. I just wanted to illustrate how traditional the outside is in comparison to the inside.
Federal Style with a curve. :)
ReplyDeleteDo you have to update that pass when you goes? I couldn't resist. Thanks for the tour. We've not been there, and next time we will see even more than last.
When I got my GOES, the wait was about a month. Now its about four months. Victim of their own success. And I do wonder if we will get to the point where everyone has one, so nobody gets a quick pass-through. Or at least AS quick.
ReplyDeleteMy wait, just this summer in June, was only a few weeks. I am thinking it may be based on how much you travel or whether you were a cleared former federal employee, which both of us are.
ReplyDeleteThe outside is misleading. It is beautiful inside! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing this place, since I'll probably never have the chance to see it in person. Thanks! :-)
ReplyDeletesuch an amazing contrast between the inside and the outside.
ReplyDeleteThe exterior really doesn't prepare you for what's inside.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, the inside and outside don't obviously match at all.
ReplyDeleteDid you feel the existence of the building was worth the taxpayer dollars?
ReplyDeleteI have a sneaky feeling the interior was paid by companies to be able to do their deals with flash...but I could be wrong. But it was private/Federal.
DeleteI did some research and i guess the building construction was far more controversial than ever...according to Wikipedia...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan_Building_and_International_Trade_Center
DeleteVery impressive. Building as art. Never been in that one.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your tour! Love the art going on in there. I'd like to pursue more of my dreams sometime, but need time n not to work for that. I designed a few exhibits myself- one is "Space n Time", Would love bux to do that full scale at some point. Now I'm reminded of more back-log projects...
ReplyDeleteMissing you and hope the itchies are better.
ReplyDeleteThere's a fact on the ground for you. How could he have been a bad president with such a fancy building named after him?
ReplyDeleteNot sure that monument reflect much about the character of a politician except his ability to be popular. Voters do not always know what their idol accomplished.
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