AIA Baltimore Tour: MacDonough Hall at the US Naval Academy
AIA Baltimore HRC Presents:
A Tour of MacDonough Hall at the US Naval Academy
November 2, 2024
CEU: 1.0 LU/HSW
(Limited to 20 AIA members)
On November 2, 2024 AIA members took advantage of the rare opportunity to explore the interior and exterior of the massive 128,000 SF, 1903 MacDonough Hall at the US Naval Academy. The building, used as the Navy’s physical education and training center, is currently under renovation and provides a unique up close and personal peek at a variety of historic features, including the restoration of exterior granite walls, steel and terra cotta windows, and the copper roof. Ten levels of scaffolding wrap the building to support the work – an eye-opening sight by itself.
This one-and-a-half-hour tour featured a walk through the Beaux arts Navy complex designed by Ernest Flagg, passing by the twin Dahlgren Hall and the main Bancroft Hall. We climbed scaffolding to see huge stone carvings and restoration work, and then explored the interior work in progress, including the original basement pool. Tour was led by Naomi Doddington, project manager for Consigli Construction, and Ward Bucher, Historical Architect with Encore Sustainable Architects and co-chair of Baltimore AIA Historic Resources Committee.
Learning Objectives include:
- At the end of this tour, attendees were able to list the three steps of construction site quality control (QC).
- At the end of this tour, attendees were able to describe the stone restoration and repointing and copper roof restoration techniques currently in use that will ensure the structural integrity of the building.
- At the end of this tour, attendees were able to cite examples of upgrades to systems and safety features that will bring the building into compliance with modern safety standards.
- At the end of this tour, attendees were able to describe the challenges and strategies involved in preserving historical integrity while updating the facility for modern use and accessibility.
