US Capitol Building
Location
Washington, DC
Services
Materials
Plaster
Wood
The U.S. Capitol Building is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has housed the meeting chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for over two centuries. Started in 1793, the U.S. Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored. Today the U.S. Capitol Building covers an area of 175,170 square feet and is visited by an estimated 3-5 million people from around the world each year.
JBC performed finishes investigations, paint archaeology and finishes reveals in the 3rd Floor Senate Corridor, the Old Senate Chamber and the Ceremonial Office of the Speaker of the House. The goal of the investigations was to determine the location of historic elements along with the history of the color schemes for the rooms in order for the Architect of the Capitol to develop appropriate color schemes for the spaces during their restoration.
Between the three projects almost 400 paint samples were removed from various elements. Historic research was conducted to find written or graphic documentation of the spaces to provide further insight into the history of the finishes. Exposure window reveals performed in the 3rd Floor Senate Corridor discovered multiple campaigns of decorative finishes including gilding, glazes and stencils. Used together, the paint archaeology, exposure windows and historic research created a more complete picture of each space and was used to determine approximate dates for the finishes found.
Old Senate Chamber ceiling.
Paint sample locations marked before removal.
Micrograph of paint sample in cross-section.
Historic finishes exposure panels reveling original finish schemes.
Third floor senate corridor.