On the first of December, President Obama announced his appointment of Philip G. Freelon, FAIA to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The Commission is composed of seven fine art experts and is obligated to give “expert advice to the President, Congress and the heads of departments and agencies of the Federal and District of Columbia governments on matters of design and aesthetics, as they affect the Federal interest and preserve the dignity of the nation’s capital.” The Commission is also responsible to advise the U.S. Mint on the design of coins and medals, and approves the location and design of national memorials, both within the U.S. and around the World.
President Obama stated, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”
Commission members serve four-year terms without compensation and may be reappointed. Since the Commission was established in 1910 by Act of Congress, many renowned American architects, landscape architects, planners and artists have been appointed. Past Commission members include architects and landscape architects Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., Gilmore Clarke, Gordon Bunshaft, and Chloethiel Smith; and artists Daniel Chester French, Francis Millet, Lee Lawrie, Paul Manship, and Frederick Hart.
The Freelon Group projects at ArchDaily:
- International Civil Rights Center and Museum Historic Preservation and Renovation
- Harvey B Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture
- Anacostia Library
- Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) Facility
- North Carolina A&T State University Proctor School of Education
