Located in the District of Columbia’s historic Congress Heights neighborhood, St. Elizabeths East is the site of a Civil War-era mental health institution that has been transformed into a mixed-use, mixed-income community. The Gateway Pavilion was the first step in cultivating this redevelopment.

Gateway sits on a two-acre park at the center of the campus and creates an instantly iconic, visible, and welcoming view into the burgeoning district. The pavilion was conceived as a low-maintenance, open-air shelter to facilitate whatever growing needs the local community might have. The ground level encourages easy connections from the most prominent edges of the site and provides shelter for a variety of activities. During weekdays, the 24-foot-high main space hosts local workers lunching at adjacent food trucks. During weekends, the pavilion is home to food and flea markets. The roof level allows pedestrians to move seamlessly up and across an elevated landscape where multiple activities can occur, including afternoon concerts and community events.

The pavilion design focuses on the seamless integration of the structure and the land with sustainability, informing the design from the outset. The pavilion employs rainwater harvesting while the landscape design provides for drought-resistant plantings; the roof plantings reduce the heat island effect, which reduces demand on mechanical systems in the enclosed portion; and the mechanical systems rely heavily on natural ventilation.