“Reimagining American Downtowns: A Post-Pandemic Urban Transformation”
Forging New Futures: Collaborative Design for Post-Pandemic Urbanity
Exploring the Evolution of Urban Cores
The "Coming Together" exhibition, a key initiative within the Museum's Future Cities project, offers a comprehensive look at the changes occurring in American downtowns. Curated by Georgetown University Professor Uwe S. Brandes and designed by Reddymade and MGMT., it examines how various communities are actively molding new urban environments. The exhibition draws upon insights from over sixty American cities, both large and small, revealing how they have adapted to profound shifts in living, working, and leisure since the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be on display until Fall 2026.
Visions for an Inclusive Urban Future
Aileen Fuchs, President and Executive Director of the National Building Museum, emphasizes that the exhibition encourages visitors to contemplate urban evolution and envision innovative approaches for a more equitable, sustainable, and enjoyable future. Curator Uwe S. Brandes notes that this period is transformative for American cities, where the pandemic, while exposing vulnerabilities, also sparked immense creativity and resilience. The exhibition demonstrates partnerships between civic leaders, businesses, institutions, and local residents in developing strategies for enhancing urban areas for everyone. Its core message is that through unity, cities can redefine fundamental aspects of daily life—from residency and employment to recreation and spiritual engagement.
Innovative Urban Revitalization Strategies
The exhibition employs a range of multimedia elements, including detailed case studies, informative data visualizations, extensive video presentations, interactive digital displays, and participatory voting exercises. These components offer a dynamic exploration of potential urban futures driven by community engagement and cooperative efforts. The exhibition is structured into three distinct sections, each examining a different facet of downtown evolution. The initial gallery, "Social Distancing," provides historical context, tracing the origins of the term "downtown" and analyzing how public health crises, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerated pre-existing urban transformations. The second gallery, "Cities Take Charge," showcases contemporary strategies and policies for repositioning downtown districts in the post-pandemic era. This section highlights collaborative innovation, such as the conversion of office buildings into residential units, the repurposing of sidewalks into communal gathering spaces, and the transformation of vacant retail fronts into cultural hubs.
Showcasing Diverse Community Initiatives
Featured examples within the exhibition include Salt Lake City's focus on residential development, which led to a population increase in its downtown area post-pandemic. Washington D.C.'s strategic investments in sports and entertainment aim to mitigate economic shifts. Nashville, Tennessee, demonstrates remarkable adaptability in its tourism-dependent economy. Visitors can also see the adaptive reuse of Alexandria, Virginia's Park + Ford office building, which was converted into 435 residential units while preserving its original structure. The introduction of portable "parklets" in Norfolk, designed as temporary social spaces in former parking spots, is another highlight. Furthermore, the exhibition features the transformation of a vacant Google office in New York City into a coding academy by Black Girls Code. Beyond architectural interventions, the exhibition celebrates community-driven initiatives, such as the collaboration between Southwest BID and DC Central Kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington D.C., and the designation of Fifth Avenue in downtown San Diego as a "slow street," prioritizing pedestrian activity.
Fostering Collaborative Urban Dialogues
With "Coming Together," the National Building Museum extends an invitation to audiences to explore how collective action can lead to more inclusive, resilient, and dynamic urban environments. To support this objective, the exhibition includes a dedicated "City Action Hall." This versatile space is designed for meetings, strategic planning sessions, workshops, and public events. Configured with modular elements, it can accommodate various group sizes and is equipped with audiovisual technology and display boards for sharing ideas. Organizations are encouraged to present posters detailing their contributions to downtown revitalization, fostering a nationwide dialogue throughout the exhibition's duration. Interested groups and individuals can apply to utilize the City Action Hall through the Museum's official application portal.