American Pharmacists Association Perimeter Security

Nestled between the Department of State and the National Mall, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Headquarters site includes the original 1932 classical headquarters building designed by John Russell Pope and an expansion completed in 2009. The headquarters building is the only privately owned structure on the National Mall. KCCT performed perimeter security and landscape improvements to the site, with a design concept that included a series of contextually sensitive security elements adjacent to the APhA expansion, as well as aesthetic and safety enhancements throughout the site.

The objective of the APhA Perimeter Security Improvement Plan was to enhance the security of the building through the addition of security barriers along the 22nd and 23rd Street perimeters. The building is one of five extending along Constitution Avenue between 17th and 23rd Streets, forming a frame for the Lincoln Memorial and its grounds. Each building is centered in its block and surrounded by an urban park-scape.

The need for additional security derived from multiple factors, including:

  • A history of demonstrations adjacent to the facility
  • Proximity to the Level V US Department of State building
  • Adjacency to three public roadways and pedestrian walkways with access to the building facade
  • The identification of the building as a US Government facility without external signage
  • Security improvements included anti-ram walls, fixed security barriers, guard booths, landscaped setback areas, and retractable barriers at vehicular entrances and exits.

The design team investigated potential impacts to historic landmarked properties surrounding the areas. The areas of potential impact were determined by taking into account physical and visual effects on surrounding historic properties, including the Lincoln Memorial, the National Academy of Sciences, the US Department of State Building, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

 

Location:

Washington, DC

Client:

US Department of State

Services:

• Architecture
• Sustainable Design
• Security
• Historic Preservation
• Construction Administration
• Programming
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