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The 13th Street façade of the restored Franklin School, now home to Photo © Joseph Romeo
Planet Word, as seen from Franklin Square park.
A Play

on Words

Historic School

Becomes a Museum

of Language

by Denise Liebowitz

A historic but long-neglected Washington landmark, which Project: Planet Word,
opened in 1869 as part of a wave of innovative public school 925 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC
construction in the city, has been given new life as a 21st-
century center of language and literacy. The Franklin School, Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle
Exhibition Designer: Local Projects
located at 13th and K Streets, NW, was designed by the Lighting Designer: MCLA Architectural Lighting Design
influential German-American architect Adolf Cluss, who was Structural Engineer: Silman
responsible for many of Washington’s most notable municipal MEP/FP Engineer: Global Engineering Solutions
buildings of the era. Constructed in the difficult post-Civil Civil Engineer: Wiles Mensch Corporation
War years, it was essentially two schools in one, with separate Geotechnical Engineer: ECS Capitol Services, PLLC
Acoustical Consultant: Polysonics
accommodations for boys and girls (and separate entrances for Code/Life Safety Consultant: Jensen Hughes
each). Facing Franklin Park, the symmetrical façade consists of Vertical Transportation Consultant: Vertran Enterprises
a three-story central pavilion flanked by two wings and topped General Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
by a mansard roof and octagonal towers. Cluss described his
design as “Modern Renaissance.”
New entry courtyard at the rear of the building, off K Street, with
the lighted Speaking Willow installation.
22 A PLAY ON WORDS