To tack a boat, in sailing parlance, means to change direction abruptly, sometimes to avoid an obstacle or treacherous waters.
That's essentially what architect Joseph Boggs has done with his preliminary design for Maryland's newest museum, the $30 million National Sailing Hall of Fame, planned for the Annapolis waterfront.
By taking the unusual tack of placing the building at an angle to the street, Boggs has avoided the need to tear down a historically significant structure on the site, while giving the museum visual and physical access to the water's edge. In the process, he has been able to head off opposition from preservationists who could derail the project, while reinforcing the idea that the Hall of Fame will help celebrate Annapolis' maritime heritage.
"In sailing, you're tacking to avoid something or to change course," said Boggs, design principal for Boggs & Partners of Annapolis. "It was a natural metaphor for our design. It's a way of positioning the building so it makes more of a connection to the water."
With the approach he has taken, Boggs is also on his way to accomplishing a different sort of goal: showing that it's possible for an architect to design a successful "modern" building for a historic setting, a structure that is both compatible with its surroundings and reflective of its own time and mission. That, too, can require avoiding obstacles and following a course different from what might be expected. But it has the potential to pay off in a big way for a project such as this - and the city where it's located.
The National Sailing Hall of Fame will be a three-story, 20,000-square-foot interactive museum designed to highlight the "heroes and heritage" of American sailing, while preserving its artifacts and legacy. After considering cities such as Newport, R.I., and San Diego, the organization's leaders, including Honorary Advisory Committee chairman Walter Cronkite, chose Annapolis as the setting, solidifying its reputation as a sailing capital.
When it's open, the Hall of Fame is expected to draw upward of 150,000 visitors a year, which would make it one of Maryland's busiest attractions. It is still in the planning stages, so no opening date has been set.
The site is a state-owned parcel at the foot of Prince George Street on Annapolis City Dock, next to the Naval Academy. It's a prime waterfront setting, with an ever-changing array of sailboats just outside the front door. The biggest obstacle to construction has been the presence of a two-story wood-frame structure at 69 Prince George St. that dates from the late 1800s.
