Donald Trump proposes subterranean White House visitor screening centre

Architecture studio AECOM has unveiled designs for a subterranean visitor screening centre as part of US president Donald Trump's revamp of the White House in Washington DC.

Recently submitted by the White House to the National Capital Planning Commission, the proposed permanent security screening facility would be built under Sherman Park – a small park to the southwest of the White House.

Designed by AECOM, the 33,000-square-foot (3,065-square-metre) facility would be almost entirely underground. It would be connected to a single-storey, above-ground structure built alongside East Executive Avenue.

Visitors to the White House would enter the facility via a ramp on the south of the park, before progressing through security checks underground.

A tunnel leading to escalators would connect the underground facility to the above-ground building, with visitors emerging within the White House's security perimeter.

The above-ground building will be designed "based upon existing security booth vocabulary used throughout the campus". It will be wrapped in columns, with limestone cladding and a sloped metal roof.

The two structures would replace temporary tents and trailers that have been used by the US Secret Service for visitor screening since 2005.

According to the planning documents, the General William Tecumseh Sherman Monument, which dominates the park, will remain in place and any trees damaged will be replaced.

"Most of the proposed structure is intentionally positioned below grade within the park's west quadrant to reduce visual impact and to avoid infrastructure conflicts in the southeast corner of the park," said the project summary.

"Landscape restoration, including new tree plantings, will be provided within all impacted zones to reinstate and enhance the park's character."

The White House intends to have the proposed screening centre operational by July 2028, with construction planned to begin later this year.

The proposals are set to be discussed by the National Capital Planning Commission at a meeting on 2 April.

Architecture studio AECOM is also part of the team designing the extension to the White House, which is set to replace the East Wing and is visible in the renders of the screening facility.

We recently took a look at all the changes taking place in Washington DC as Trump aims to redesign the city in his image.

The images are courtesy of National Capital Planning Commission / AECOM.

The post Donald Trump proposes subterranean White House visitor screening centre appeared first on Dezeen.