The Washington Glass School

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation has awarded the commission to create public art and site specific commission for the William Beanes Community Center in Suitland, MD to the Washington Glass Studio.

William Beanes Community Center, Suitland, MD

The center is named for William Beanes, MD, of Prince George’s County, who played a pivotal, yet largely unknown, role in the history of The Star-Spangled Banner. If not for Dr. Beanes, Francis Scott Key would not have been on a ship in Baltimore’s Harbor, and he would never have written the poem which became our National Anthem. 

A romantic depiction of Francis Scott Key at the dawn’s early light, seeing the Star-Spangled Banner still waving at Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814.

Dr. William Beanes had been captured by the British for his role in arresting and jailing British deserters during the War of 1812.  Francis Scott Key, a Georgetown lawyer, was approached by friends of Beanes with the permission of President James Madison, and dispatched to travel along with John S. Skinner, a US Agent for Prisoner Exchange, to negotiate Bean’s release from the British.  British Major General Robert Ross, who had initiated the arrest of Dr. Beanes, was reluctant to let him go.  Skinner produced letters, however, from wounded British prisoners of war who described their good treatment at the hands of Dr. Beanes and Ross agreed to his release. The group’s return home, however, coincided with the British attack on Baltimore during the summer of 1814, and they sought temporary safety on a ship just a few miles from Fort McHenry.  Onboard, the group could hear the rockets in the distance as the fighting continued through the night until early morning brought an eerie quiet.  With the sun rising in the distance, Key used a telescope and spied the U.S. flag still flying. Inspired by the sight, Key began composing on the back of a letter found in his pocket what would later be known as “The Star Spangled Banner”. On March 3, 1931, a proclamation by Congress immortalized the song as our country’s national anthem.

Internally illuminated discs are to be mounted to the building at the entrance to the center.

The design proposed by Washington Glass Studio used the concept of the Round Panels = Abstracted Fireworks “Bursting In Air”. This symbolizes pride, childlike wonder, romantic love, patriotism and inspiration. Rising along the feature wall towards the roofline, establishing a strong visual presence to the entry would be a series of large brightly colored illuminated panels. The circular shapes contrast the building’s form and help create visual interest. Each of the large panels would have powerful graphic designs that pay homage to the future of Suitland’s residents and heritage, icons of the community, its history and goals.

The large circular panels will have LED illumination integrated into each disc.

View of the design and how the internal LED illumination will work at nighttime.