When the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was created as a living memorial to the 35th President of the United States, nations around the globe offered gifts in honor of President Kennedy. When the Center opened to the public in 1971, the young nation of Israel, not yet 25 years old, gave the gift of the Israeli Lounge.
The Kennedy Center invites designers to share a vision of a redesigned Israeli Lounge. The competition presents a unique opportunity to reshape and transform an historic space within a Memorial that is visited by millions from around the world annually. It is expected that the new design will highlight the potential and excitement of arts and cultural exchange creating a new image, mood, and artistic experience that showcases and celebrates today’s Israeli culture in an innovative and interesting way. The new design shall be a celebration of Jewish culture, including philosophy, the arts, science, and religion; should include both historical and contemporary references; and should be an homage to the country of Israel.
The design competition and reimagining of space are made possible by a gift from Mikhail Fridman and LetterOne.
The Israeli Lounge:
The existing Israeli Lounge is located on the Box Tier level of the Concert Hall, in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and was a gift from the People of Israel. The Concert Hall is the home of the nationally recognized National Symphony Orchestra led by Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, and for concerts, and other performances, this Lounge serves as a space for patrons, donors, guests, and Kennedy Center staff to entertain and host people from around the globe to connect and reflect on an important part of the world. A floor plan and photographs of the Lounge are included on the design competition page on the Kennedy Center website.
The John F. Kennedy Center:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, located on seventeen acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is America’s living memorial to President Kennedy and his vision that the arts and cultural achievement should be an integral part of human experience. It is the nation’s busiest performing arts facility: each year the Kennedy Center’s nine performance spaces host approximately 2,000 performances for audiences totaling nearly two million. In addition to being the home of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, its diverse offerings include specially priced, low-cost, and free performances, making its programs available to everyone. In addition, more than a million visitors tour the Kennedy Center’s public spaces each year, and an additional 20 million attend touring productions or tune in to Kennedy Center-related television or radio broadcasts. The Kennedy Center presents the greatest performers and performances of music, dance, and theater; supports artists in the creation of new work; and serves the nation as a leader in arts education.
Eligibility:
The competition is open to all designers, artists, sculptors and architects. Competitors must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission. A competitor may enter the competition as an individual or member of a team.
Submissions are due by 14:00 Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, April 23rd, 2018. All applicants MUST register before submission. Specific information about the competition, registration and submission requirements may be found on the competition webpage. Additionally, please feel free to contact Mary Timaeus, at mctimaeus@kennedy-center.org or (202) 416-8332 with any questions or thoughts.
Title
Open Call: International Competition for Design Proposals for the Renovation of the Israeli LoungeType
Competition Announcement (Built Projects & Masterplans)Website
Organizers
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsSubmission Deadline
April 23, 2018 02:00 PMVenue
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsPrice
Free