The Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates redesign of Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House defines a new secure and accessible public environment that is welcoming and dignified in its day-to-day use while also supporting periodic large scale events like the presidential inaugural parade. Although the once highly-trafficked Pennsylvania Avenue is now extremely restricted with respect to vehicular use, the scheme preserves the historical axis and existing street right of way of the L'Enfant Plan, while also mediating between the naturalism of Andrew Jackson Downing's Lafayette Park and the informality of the White House grounds. It is a scheme that values continuity with its surrounding context, using familiar materials to honor the extraordinary importance of the place.
