The ten murals, each 7' x 18', of carved slate and
mosaic tile, were designed to bring the historic
antecedents of the Walter Reed Army Institute of
Research and the Naval Medical Research Institute
to a new setting. Slate was chosen for its tactile
quality and the sense of history it fosters. Exotic
slate from around the world was selected as a clear
reference to the global sweep of both institutions.
The banding of slate is designed to relate to the
banding of the building.

The choice of 1" tiles in the mosaic images was
deliberate, forcing viewers to step back far
enough to see the images as photographs, a
reminder to researchers that sometimes it is
necessary to step away from the work to see it
most clearly.

As people come closer they are invited to read
quotes which deal with military medicine and
research. The reflective quality of the slate
was used to advantage, forcing viewers to see
quotes from different angles, then touch the
stone, interacting with the work.