OMA + OLIN's DC Bridge Moves Forward

The elevated park will span the Anacostia River directly next to the existing 11th Street Bridge, connecting Anacostia Park on the south with DC's Naval District on the north. Jason Long, partner in OMA's New York City office, described the design in 2014 as "a gateway to both sides of the river, a lookout point with expansive views, a canopy that can shelter programs and a public plaza where the two paths meet." 

With the District of Columbia in COVID-19 lockdown, Long's recent comments echo the renewed importance of public spaces: "At a time when we are paradoxically isolated from one another but united in a common cause, public spaces that we all share and that benefit health have become more important than ever. Our work has focused on creating a new civic space that engages with the Anacostia River and refining the program for the park to ensure it will be a place for everyone in DC."

In the five years since being selected, OMA and OLIN has refined the program spaces, materials, and landscaping, also working with WRA and Delon Hampton to advance the bridge structure. Below are updated renderings of the project, which is slated to start construction in 2021 following one more approval, from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in the fall.