The firm that designed the Miami Beach Public Library and many others has been selected to deisgn President Bush's library, museum and public policy institute. Robert A.M. Stern photo.
by Mark Silva
The think tank that President Bush plans to build with his presidential library may be controversial, but there is no question about who will design it: The president and First Lady Laura Bush have chosen the architect for the presidential library, museum and public policy institute planned at Southern Methodist University, the first lady's alma mater.
The George W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation announced that Robert A.M. Stern Architects LLP will design the Presidential Library and Museum for the 43rd president.
The location is all but settled: The leafy Dallas campus of the school where the first lady studied. The mission of the complex, however, has generated controversy on a campus where many professors worry that the public policy institute attached to the library will become a conservative lightning rod for a university that cherishes academic freedom.
“As we remain in exclusive discussions with Southern Methodist University and hope to announce a final decision on the location of the library later this year, we believe it is important to take this step of naming the architect to allow for the design process to begin moving forward,” said Don Evans, who is leading the library effort. “Robert A.M. Stern brings deep resources and broad experience to this important project.”
With more than 300 architects and designers, the firm of Robert A.M. Stern has won many awards, including National Honor Awards of the American Institute of Architects. The firm also cites extensive experience designing academic buildings, libraries and museums.
Its credits include the Baker Library at the Harvard Business School, the Bangor Public Library in Maine, the Clearwater Public Library in Florida, the Columbus Public Library in Columbus, Ga., the Jacksonville Public Library in Jacksonville, Fla., the Miami Beach Public Libary in Miami Beach, Fla., and the Nashville Public Library in Nashville, Tenn.
Stern also is dean of the Yale School of Architecture.
In addition to the library and museum, the foundation notes, the firm will design a policy institute planned as "a forum for scholarly study and the exchange of ideas.'' The foundation previously has called this an institute devoted to the policies of George W. Bush.
The president and first lady accepted Stern's firm following a meeting with him at the president's ranch in Texas last week. A five-member committee had interviewed three firms and recommended this one. The committee: Laura Bush, Roland Betts, Deedie Rose, Witold Rybczynski, and the president's brother, Marvin Bush.
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Comments
A library to honor A Legacy of Lies??z
Posted by: Lauren | August 29, 2007 6:46 AM
All displays relating to Vice President Cheney, and the role played by his Fourth Branch of Government in the Bush Administration will be kept in a secret, undisclosed location.
An Architect has not yet been named for that portion of the museum, but it was announced today Halliburton has been awarded a no-bid contract to build it.
Posted by: Tony | August 29, 2007 6:48 AM
And here I thought the house trailer design of the Clinton Library was a
stunner!
Posted by: Sequim | August 29, 2007 7:23 AM
The "Bush's Brain Rove Wing" sould be located in the deepest, darkest bowels. Right (literally)next to the "THe Darth Wing."
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 8:12 AM
"a forum for scholarly study and the exchange of ideas.''
More conservative bs. They are trying to instill warped ideology on an insitution of higher learning. Everyone knows conservatives cry about universities being liberal, blah, blah, blah. A good college is one that opens the minds of its students to the world & that's what is so threatening to conservatives. It's all about the "US is better then everyone no matter what" propoganda.
Oh, and all those conservatives yapping about how expensive the Clinton Library was. Anyone of you willing to note the cost of the Bush library? Who's going to complain now?
Posted by: RomanB | August 29, 2007 8:19 AM
I don't know why SMU is so upset about having Shrub's preznit'l. liebrary. It only needs to be about 12' x 16' and it will have room to spare.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | August 29, 2007 8:23 AM
Calling the "library" of George W. Bush a "think tank" is comedy gold!
Posted by: athena | August 29, 2007 8:48 AM
WOULDN'T A PHONE BOOTH BE MORE APPROPIATE.
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 29, 2007 10:08 AM
Calling the "library" of George W. Bush a "think tank" is comedy gold!
Posted by: athena | August 29, 2007 8:48 AM
Amen sister! Can the man even read???
Posted by: George Walker | August 29, 2007 10:22 AM
What on earth are they going to put in this "think tank". Reports with pages and pages blacked out? Bush's "Mission Accomplished" banner? His comic book collection?
"The foundation previously has called this an institute devoted to the policies of George W. Bush".
Oh! I see! So it's going to be a monument to lies, deception, theft, corruption, and torture. The only President who has never written or read a book. Oh wait a minute, 6 years ago he did read "The Pet Goat".
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | August 29, 2007 11:07 AM
I sure hope they have a copy of 'my pet goat'.
Posted by: CM | August 29, 2007 11:13 AM
He is the by far the worst president of modern times, but that's a nice looking building.
Posted by: Bryan | August 29, 2007 11:48 AM
I sure hope they have a copy of 'my pet goat'.
Posted by: CM | August 29, 2007 11:13 AM
LOL! Right On!
Posted by: RetroPaul | August 29, 2007 12:32 PM
Perhaps they'll be kidnapping more Philipinos to build his 'library' in Dullas, the same way they did to build the US Embassy in Baghdead..? (see London Sunday Times for that story)...or see Village Voice article that informs us.http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/2007/08/leaving_is_fund.php
Posted by: Mimi | August 29, 2007 2:58 PM
A library for a dimwit who admittedly rarely reads anything and can barely speak in simple, complete sentences? Would not a video rental arcade be more appropriate? W and his chicken-hawk ilk could play war games and kill the terrorist scenarios into senility without harming a soul.
Posted by: mdb | August 29, 2007 3:15 PM
I wonder how much reading Mr. Bush does or how much time he has actually spent in any library.
This is the very last place on the planet I would ever visit.
Posted by: Doug R. | August 29, 2007 5:58 PM
New Orleans seems like a more appropriate place to study the president's legacy. Or Baghdad.
Posted by: Tom O | August 29, 2007 5:59 PM
Hopefully there will be a large childrens section. We wouldn't want George to have to struggle with Albert Camus every day.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | August 29, 2007 6:52 PM
I think it will be better that the President Clinton Adult Book and Cigar Store
Posted by: Terry | August 29, 2007 8:28 PM
I think it will be better that the President Clinton Adult Book and Cigar Store
Posted by: Terry | August 29, 2007 8:28 PM
Terry at least Clinton was competent!
Posted by: Dunny Rummy | August 29, 2007 10:55 PM
Perfect. The BUSH LIE.brary
Posted by: RC Barron | August 30, 2007 10:58 AM