U.S. Institute of Peace

  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  • Image thumbnail.
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Aug 27, 2012

In March 2011, U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) moved into a new, permanent facility at the northwest corner of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The parking areas of the LEED certified building was constructed using epoxy-coated reinforcing steel to protect against deicing salts.

The 100,000-square-foot building houses a conference center with classroom and professional training facilities; offices for Institute staff and research fellows; a library; and an interactive education center open to the public and dedicated to the themes of international conflict management and peacemaking. The new facilities have classroom space for school groups visiting Washington, D.C., as well as a 20,000 square-foot Public Education Center (PEC) that attracts up to half a million visitors per year to its exhibits, interactive modules, simulations and multimedia presentations about international conflict and conflict resolution.

The new building consists of three separate areas made from light-colored concrete precast concrete panels. Between the three sections of the building, a vaulted curved glass atrium appears allowing sunlight into the space. The use of the atrium allows daylight to penetrate deeply into the building, reducing energy use and provides for views of the surrounding landscaping.

Created by Act of Congress in 1984, the USIP is an independent, nonpartisan conflict management center dedicated to preventing and mitigating international conflict without resorting to violence. The project was funded through a public-private partnership where the federal government supplied the land at no cost to the USIP, while private donations funded the building's construction and related costs.