THOLOS | VOLUME 24 

THOLOS

VOLUME 24

USBG 

HIGHLIGHT

Cultivate: Growing Food 

in a Changing World

SENATE 

& HOUSE 

SPOTLIGHTS

In the Senate 

Office Buildings, 

Maintenance 

Collaboration Is 

a Clean Sweep 

—

Q&A With the House 

Floor Care Division

FEATURE

Restoring Freedom 

From Historic 

Separations
2 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 3

FEATURE PROJECT UPDATE

18 24

TA B LE O F CO N T EN T S

18 FEATURE:

Restoring Freedom 

From Historic Separations

24 PROJECT UPDATE:

Group Project

28 AGENCY INITIATIVES:

A Fresh Vision

SENATE AND HOUSE SPOTLIGHTS

TA B LE O F CO N T EN T S

USBG HIGHLIGHT

4 10

4 USBG HIGHLIGHT:

Cultivate: Growing Food 

in a Changing World

10 SENATE SPOTLIGHT:

In the Senate Office Buildings, 

Maintenance Collaboration 

Is a Clean Sweep

14 HOUSE SPOTLIGHT:

Q&A With the House 

Floor Care Division
4 THOLOS

| VOLUME 24 THOLOS| VOLUME 245

WRITTEN BY DEVIN DOTSON 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS HATZENBUHLER

USBG HIGHLIGHT

CULTIVATE

 GROWING 

FOOD IN A 

CHANGING 

WORLD

This bed from the 2022 

USBG summer Terrace 

display featured crop 

plants native to Central 

and South America, 

including multiple varieties 

of potatoes, purple and 

green vines spilling over 

the bed edge, and papaya, 

top right behind the sign.
6 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

his spring through fall, the 

U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) 

showcased agricultural crops 

in a special Terrace display that was 

an outdoor extension of its “Cultivate: 

Growing Food in a Changing World” 

exhibit. The Terrace featured 14 raised 

beds that showed crops grouped by their 

global origins along with vibrant murals 

illustrating crops native to each area. 

The display began on the west side of 

the Terrace with North American native 

crops such as strawberries, pawpaws and 

blueberries, and then moved around the 

world to Central and South America, 

Africa, the Mediterranean Basin and 

across Asia. Visitors were able to see and 

learn about crops ranging from rice and 

okra to sweet potatoes and peppers. Many 

employees from the USBG’s Horticulture, 

Learning and Engagement, Operations 

and Administration teams helped bring 

the display to life, including Adam Pyle, 

Amanda Helin, Mark Moreno and Chibu 

Ariguzo. The display was so popular that 

the USBG is planning to install a version 

of it again next summer.

T

Top photo: Gardener Chibu Ariguzo pauses in front of North American crop plants including 

agaves (Agave spp.) and prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.). Bottom photo: The display on the 

USBG Terrace was just steps from the U.S. Capitol, seen over the trees.
THOLOS

| VOLUME 247

This bed of crops native 

to the Mediterranean 

Basin and Western Africa 

include many plants in 

the Brassica family such 

as broccoli, Brussels 

sprouts, cabbage, 

cauliflower and kale.
8 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

Clockwise from top left: Gardener Amanda Helin shows rice (Oryza glaberrima), Horticulturalist Adam Pyle sits among Mediterranean Basin plants, 

multiple beds from the summer exhibit are shown with the Conservatory behind, and Gardener Mark Moreno looks over a banana (Musa sp.) leaf at 

variegated cotton (Gossypium sp.).
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 9

This bed featured crop 

plants native to the 

Mediterranean Basin 

and North Africa, 

including curry plant 

(Helichrysum italicum) 

and aloe (Aloe vera).
10 THOLOS

| VOLUME 24 THOLOS| VOLUME 24 11

In the Senate Office Buildings, 

Maintenance Collaboration Is a

WRITTEN BY MADELEINE LUCCHETTI 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN GREENE

SENATE SPOTLIGHT

CLEAN 

SWEEP

Hours before the sun rises each 

morning, Zamboni-like scrubbing 

machines scuttle through the halls 

of the Senate office buildings. Each 

is operated by a dedicated team of 

Architect of the Capitol (AOC) 

specialists who spend hours ensuring 

the marble flooring sparkles — so 

when the city wakes and the doors 

open, thousands of visitors, staff and 

Members of Congress tread over clean 

walkways. After the sun sets and the 

halls clear, the process begins again. 

These predawn, behind-the-scenes 

rituals are routine for the AOC’s 

maintenance staff. Through snow and 

rain, dry summers and pollen-packed 

springs, maintenance teams tackle 

the care and cleaning of the floors as 

well as other interior structures and 

elements within Capitol campus 

facilities. Much of their work and 

equipment is sheltered far underground in the Senate office building 

garages and loading docks, places few 

visitors and only some staff ever see. 

“No matter the hour of day, there are a 

lot of people down here working really 

hard — and many of us have been 

with the AOC for years, so there’s a 

strong sense of camaraderie,” said Pete 

Ferentinos, a Maintenance Worker 

Supervisor in the Senate Office 

Buildings Garage Branch. A mechanic 

by trade, he’s been in the industry 

for nearly 40 years and has worked 

at the AOC for 12 years — 10 of 

which have been spent in the Garage 

Branch. No two days are the same, 

Kenneth Vereen, 

Maintenance 

Mechanic Leader 

in the Senate 

Office Buildings, 

goes above and 

beyond to support 

the AOC's mission.
12 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

and he and his colleagues have grown 

especially close when working through 

particularly strenuous situations, like 

heavy overnight snow removal and 

high-profile event preparation. In 

the garage, their synergy is clear: the 

team navigates heavy, loud machinery 

with ease as they simultaneously call 

out to check in on one another. It’s 

a delicate ballet that relies upon the 

expertise and detail-oriented eye of 

each mechanic — and their individual commitment to the AOC’s 

overarching mission.

Back in August, this long-standing 

camaraderie propelled Ferentinos 

and his Garage Branch colleagues, 

Vernon Miller and Kenneth Vereen, 

to help Dennis Anthony and the 

Senate Office Buildings Floor Care 

team. Multiple scrubbing machines 

integral to the nightly cleaning 

process were broken. Even with busy 

summer schedules and tight deadlines, 

Ferentinos, Miller and Vereen volunteered to help Anthony examine all 20 

pieces of equipment in the Advance 

ES4000 series. Ferentinos described 

their approach as puzzle-solving, 

working backwards to identify which 

pieces were missing or faulty: if one 

“ No matter the 

hour of day, 

there are a lot 

of people down 

here working 

really hard — 

and many of us 

have been with 

the AOC for 

years, so there’s 

a strong sense 

of camaraderie.” 

PETE FERENTINOS

Maintenance 

Worker Supervisor,

Senate Office Buildings 

Garage Branch

of the brushes on a machine’s base 

wasn’t rotating, the team examined the 

apparatus rolling the brush. 

After diagnosing and troubleshooting the equipment failures, the team 

quickly had two machines back up 

and running. From there, Ferentinos, 

Miller and Vereen helped Anthony 

identify which parts were required to 

get the rest of the machines online. 

Now, the Floor Care team is better 

prepared for their busiest season, 

winter — which brings colder, wetter 

weather and thus more slush and 

salt on passageways. Not only are 

the machines used daily, but they’re 

also cleaned daily, too. Anthony and 

Ferentinos are using the insights 

gleaned from these recent inspections to flag any future issues found 

during the nightly inspections. What 

was once a complex roadblock has 

transformed into a collaborative 

learning opportunity.

“Collaboration is second nature to 

us,” Anthony said. “It didn’t matter 

to the Garage Branch folks that 

fixing these machines wasn’t in their 

job description.”

Left to right: Vernon Miller II, Kenneth Vereen and Pete Ferentinos provided invaluable guidance 

that helped restore 20 pieces of floor care machinery.
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 13

“ I try to 

encourage 

people to look 

around and 

ask questions, 

so that they’re 

more engaged 

with what’s 

going on 

around campus 

— even if most 

of our time is 

spent in one 

place.” 

DENNIS ANTHONY

Floor Maintenance 

Technician Supervisor, 

Senate Office Buildings 

Floor Care Team

Kenneth Vereen examines one of the Advance ES4000 machines.

“It’s all part of our trade,” Ferentinos 

affirmed. “My staff are amazing; 

they’re willing to help as much as 

they can.”

This willingness to lend a hand is 

something Ferentinos and his peers 

aim to instill in all their colleagues, 

and it typically leads to such mutually 

beneficial outcomes. Ferentinos and 

his team gained valuable on-the-job 

training, and Anthony and his team 

gained greater functionality of their 

machines. By embodying these values, 

these leaders guide their teams in 

meeting the AOC’s mission to serve, 

preserve and inspire. 

Throughout their respective tenures 

at the agency, Ferentinos, Anthony, 

Miller and Vereen have witnessed 

much change and growth, within the 

AOC and within themselves. One 

thing has remained constant: their 

dedication to the AOC’s mission.

“To be effective supervisors, we have 

to be willing to adapt and adjust 

to change — so that it’s easier for 

employees to digest,” Anthony 

agreed. “I try to encourage people 

to look around and ask questions, 

so that they’re more engaged with 

what’s going on around campus — 

even if most of our time is spent in 

one place.”

Thanks to the ongoing collaboration of all its maintenance teams, 

the AOC continues to operate as a 

well-oiled machine.
14 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 15

The dedicated Architect of the Capitol (AOC) employees of 

the House Office Buildings Floor Care Division work tirelessly 

to ensure the Capitol campus is ready to welcome Members of 

Congress, staff and the visiting public. 

Cedric Mosby, Night Superintendent for the House Office 

Buildings, explained the comprehensive process for servicing 

the buildings under his jurisdiction and ensuring that they meet 

AOC cleanliness standards. Floor care includes scrubbing the 

floors nightly, as well as routinely stripping and adding seven 

coats of wax throughout the House office buildings. Maintaining 

environmental standards is vital to the AOC, and all Floor Care 

team members use Green Seal-certified products whenever 

possible. Mosby’s team is also instrumental in the congressional 

office moves that happen every two years, ensuring that existing 

and incoming Members of Congress are well-situated in their 

new office spaces. 

“Our team takes pride in ensuring Members, staffers and visitors 

enter into a clean and welcoming environment each day,” said 

Mosby. First impressions are a big deal, and the Night Floor 

Care team plays a key role in giving the House office building 

interiors that “Wow!” look. A group of House Office Buildings 

Floor Care employees were kind enough to answer our questions 

about their work.

Q&

With the House 

A

Floor Care Division

WRITTEN BY KIREN MARSHALL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN GREENE

HOUSE SPOTLIGHT
16 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

BY THE NUMBERS

The House Office Buildings Floor Care Division cleans over 565,000 square feet of main corridors, 

subcorridors, main lobbies and rotunda space! That’s equivalent to: 

ALMOST 13 ACRES 

ALMOST 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS 

120+ BASKETBALL COURTS 

OVER 10x THE SIZE OF THE WHITE HOUSE 

ANY FUN FACTS THAT YOU CAN 

SHARE ABOUT YOUR POSITION 

OR THE TOOLS YOU USE? 

“People don’t realize how long it takes 

to clean the Rayburn! These are long 

hallways with lots of corners to clean.” 

BARRY DUNCAN 

Night Shift, Rayburn House Office Building 

Q:

A:

A:

WHAT’S THE BEST PART 

OF YOUR JOB?

“Coming to work to perform 

my job at a high standard.” 

DARYL RILEY

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

“Coming into work and 

seeing the results of my 

effort every night.”

PAUL ALEXANDER

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

Q:

A:

WHAT’S ONE THING MOST 

PEOPLE DON’T KNOW 

ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

“I operate forklifts and use 

heavy equipment.” 

OSCAR BOLANOS-UMANA 

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

“I take pride in what I do, and I 

show employees that are new 

to the agency how to do the 

right things at the AOC.” 

DARYL RILEY

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

Q:

A:

A:
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 17

HOW HAS YOUR JOB CHANGED SINCE 

YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE AOC? 

“Before we had the floor scrubbers 

and buffers, we did this all by hand with 

mops and buckets.”

PEDRO FLORES 

Night Shift, Cannon House Office Building 

Q:

A:

WHAT’S THE BEST THING 

ABOUT WORKING ON THE 

NIGHT SHIFT? 

“I love working at nights cleaning 

the floors. It’s so peaceful 

and quiet and I get to see our 

buildings in a different way. 

During the day it’s so busy and 

loud that I can’t appreciate all 

the beauty.”

CARLOS LOPEZ MIGUEL 

Night Shift, Cannon Building

Q:

A:

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO 

WHEN YOU ARE NOT CARING 

FOR THE HOUSE OFFICE 

BUILDINGS? 

“I like to watch a movie at my 

local theater and spend time 

with my family.” 

OSCAR BOLANOS-UMANA

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

“I love taking care of 

my grandson.”

PAUL ALEXANDER 

Night Shift, Rayburn Building

Q:

A:

A:
18 THOLOS

| VOLUME 24 THOLOS| VOLUME 24 19

After carefully 

disassembling the 

plaster Statue of 

Freedom, Smithsonian 

employees prepare it 

for storage in 1967.

Restoring 

Freedom 

From Historic 

Separations

The saw rasped through the 

towering plaster masterpiece 

cast in Rome and destined 

to be the centerpiece of the 

U.S. Capitol Visitor Center 

(CVC): the Statue of Freedom. 

But on that day in 1967, 

the grating sound echoed 

through the Smithsonian 

rotunda, white dust drifted to 

the floor and the robed figure 

was separated into pieces — 

a crown, a hand, a wreath. 

Packed into crates, the statue 

was carried away, not to be 

seen for decades.

From the time all of its pieces arrived 

in America in 1859, the 15,000-pound 

plaster Statue of Freedom has relied on 

many skilled hands over many generations to preserve it. But before each restoration effort, the beautiful plaster figure 

had to be cut into pieces. Repeatedly.

American sculptor Thomas Crawford, 

working in his studio in Rome in 

the 1850s, cast the plaster model of 

Freedom from his original clay sculpture in five separate sections. When it 

arrived in Washington, D.C. — where 

skilled craftsmen and artisans were 

rare — an Italian sculptor assembled 

the plaster statue for display in National 

Statuary Hall.

However, when the plaster model of the 

Statue of Freedom had to be moved to 

the foundry for casting in bronze, no one 

knew how to separate the sections and 

the sculptor refused to help unless given a 

pay raise. Unfortunately for the sculptor, 

Philip Reid was there.

Reid was an enslaved laborer in the 

foundry. He determined that pulling up 

on the lifting ring at the top of the plaster 

model would reveal the seams between 

the sections. When this was done, the 

statue was successfully separated into 

its five sections and transported to 

the foundry.

FEATURE

WRITTEN BY FRANKLIN BRADLEY

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE AOC

AND SMITHSONIAN ARCHIVES 
20 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

The plaster model stands on display above busts in National Statuary Hall 

in 1860, after its delivery from Rome.

Plaster pieces of the model following a period of storage.

Reid was instrumental in casting the bronze monument that 

was mounted atop the Capitol Dome on December 2, 1863, 

hundreds of feet above the next resting place of the plaster 

model that it was cast from.

With no suitable space for the assembled plaster statue in the 

U.S. Capitol Building, then-Architect of the Capitol Edward 

Clark had the disassembled model stored in crates in the 

basement. But Clark believed the plaster statue should be 

displayed, so he showed Joseph Henry, the Secretary of the 

Smithsonian Institution the sections of the statue in the U.S. 

Capitol basement and asked if the museum could display the 

reassembled original.

The Secretary was receptive to the proposal, but there was no 

space large enough in the Smithsonian. Yet. The sections of the 

statue remained in storage until the Smithsonian completed 

construction of the Arts and Industries Building in 1881, where 

Crawford’s work took center stage, standing tall over display 

cases for decades to come.

However, the years it waited in storage took a toll on the fragile 

plaster, as described in the 1891 report of the Smithsonian 

Board of Regents:

The model, which had remained for nearly thirty years in the 

basement of the capitol, was found to be so broken, many of the more 

delicate parts being entirely gone, that its complete restoration from 

the fragments seemed impossible. In addition to difficulties of this 

sort, in order to move and place safely in position the immense pieces 

of the statue which remained intact, it was found necessary to saw 

them carefully into smaller parts, which after being lifted into place 

were securely reunited.1

1 Smithsonian Institution. Board of Regents & United States National Museum. (1846). Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 

(1891 Incl Rpt US Natl Mus). Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved from https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/annualreportofbo1891smitso

...in order to move and place safely in position the immense pieces of the 

statue which remained intact, it was found necessary to saw them carefully 

into smaller parts, which after being lifted into place were securely reunited.
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 21

Freedom stands over a model of the Mariner 4 spacecraft in the rotunda of the Smithsonian Arts and Industries building.

Painstakingly reassembled and placed in the Arts and Industries 

Building rotunda, the Statue of Freedom gazed out over the 

museum galleries as displays were moved in and out around it, 

including aviator Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis 

monoplane and a full-sized model of the Mariner 4 spacecraft.

Freedom stood in the museum from 1900 to 1967, when 

Smithsonian employees once again carefully sawed apart the 

statue. They removed smaller sections, then separated the top 

and bottom of the massive plaster model. Once all the parts were 

secured in protective crates, they were again put into storage.
22 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

To preserve the 

fragile plaster model, 

Smithsonian employees 

carefully sawed off 

and lifted away smaller 

pieces, such as the 

hand holding the 

wreath, before moving 

the larger sections.
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 23

2 Architect of the Capitol. (n.d.). Statue of Freedom. Architect of the Capitol. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/statue-freedom 

Because I'd worked on the restoration of the pedestal on top of the 

Capitol, I'd seen the bronze statue’s shield up close with its beautiful 

concise straight lines. I knew that the plaster model must have 

at one time looked like that, so I ended up spending a lot of time 

working to correct the alignment of the 13 stripes on the shield.

When the Statue of Freedom made a final return to Capitol 

Hill in 1992, an Architect of the Capitol (AOC) paint crew 

exfoliated the statue’s leaded paint surface. AOC Paint Division 

General Supervisor Ken Riley spent many hours carefully 

scraping off the flaking paint. He remembered, “The biggest 

challenge was not damaging the brittle — and historic — 

plaster substrate.”

Riley thought the plaster model’s shield looked like it had 

been in a battle. “Because I'd worked on the restoration of the 

pedestal on top of the Capitol, I'd seen the bronze statue’s shield 

up close with its beautiful concise straight lines. I knew that the 

plaster model must have at one time looked like that, so I ended 

up spending a lot of time working to correct the alignment of 

the 13 stripes on the shield.” 2

After restoration, the Statue of Freedom model was transported — with just inches to spare in some hallways — to the 

basement rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building. In 

2008, AOC employees once again expertly disassembled and 

moved Crawford’s masterpiece to its current location as the 

centerpiece of Emancipation Hall. In the towering stone room 

at the center of the CVC, in the early morning quiet before its 

doors opened to the public, the only sound was the soft scrape of 

a plaster knife.

Skilled AOC artisans were once again sealing the cuts that had 

separated the figure into two large halves. They carefully reattached elements, such as the hand holding a wreath and all the 

decorations from her gown. 

For 165 years, AOC employees have preserved the Statue of 

Freedom in her many forms, restored her when necessary and 

always inspired awe in those who experience the beauty and 

power of her presence. 

After the Statue of Freedom model was placed in Emancipation Hall in the CVC, AOC craftsmen carefully rejoined the sections and replaced the pieces 

that had fallen off during moving and storage.
24 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 THOLOS | VOLUME 24 25

Peremquo stibus res 

magnimetum non 

cus, expedi conse 

ratectatusci blatempore 

non nus. Faciunt 

fugitios sequunduci 

corepta expedi.

GROUP 

PROJECT

PROJECT UPDATE

WRITTEN BY JUSTIN KIEFFER 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KALEENA DWYER

Highlights of the 

Russell Building 

courtyard project 

include restored stone 

façades and terrace, 

landscape renewal, and 

a new storage shed.
26 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

Do you remember being part of a group 

project in school? Were you the person 

that had your portion completed early? 

Or were you the one everybody was 

waiting for right at the deadline because 

you started the night before it was due?

A recent project on Capitol Hill was not 

a group term paper on the History of 

Money (a real assignment I had in high 

school and still have nightmares about), 

but the Russell Senate Office Building 

courtyard restoration, which supplemented the Russell Exterior Envelope 

Project. This courtyard restoration effort 

became a group project of its own where 

different Architect of the Capitol (AOC) 

teams had to rely on and coordinate with 

one another to accomplish their individual tasks, ultimately leading to a final, 

comprehensive product. 

The courtyard’s original design was 

simple, sunny and symmetrical, but with 

years of building construction improvements, the courtyard had become more 

asymmetrical and less orderly. The project 

goal was to restore the courtyard to its 

original beauty, recovering its visual 

harmony and balance, while respecting 

historic and memorial features and providing a peaceful space for Members of 

Congress, staff and visitors.

Left: Scaffolding and 

construction site for the 

Russell Exterior Envelope 

Project. Right and Bottom 

Photos: Employees of the 

AOC Construction Division 

are shown building the 

Capitol Grounds and 

Arboretum storage shed.
THOLOS

| VOLUME 24 27

The groups that tackled this project 

included employees from several divisions of the Office of the Chief Engineer 

(OCE), the Senate Office Buildings and 

the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum 

working on different, overlapping 

elements. Add a tight timeline to all of 

this and you have a situation that can be 

very stressful and would have any student 

wishing they could ask the teacher for 

an extension. 

The work entailed replacing extremely 

damaged or cracked paving stones while 

cleaning, repointing and resetting other 

stones in the upper courtyard. Americans 

with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant 

curb cuts — two in the upper courtyard 

and two in the carriageway with one at 

each lobby door — were also installed.

Another team worked on removing 

and replanting overgrown shrubbery; 

retaining selected trees; incorporating an 

irrigation system with modifications and 

improvements; and designing, constructing and relocating a new, functional and 

aesthetically pleasing garden shed to 

complement the landscape and surrounding buildings. 

Members from OCE developed the 

designs and OCE’s Construction 

Division (CD) provided a fire alarm 

system for the courtyard, automatic door 

operators at the carriageway mezzanine lobby doors, and ADA-compliant 

drainage systems and ramps. The CD 

also removed joint filler and regrouted 

the granite steps at the upper courtyard 

and carriageways, and created a curb 

cut access to the center grass of the 

lower courtyard.

These project teams were peppered full 

of the “A+” students everyone wanted in 

their group at school because their work 

was always shipshape, and they were cool 

under pressure. To minimize the stress 

and maximize the chance of success, 

the individual teams relied on strong 

coordination, close communication and 

solid collaboration. As a result, this group 

of dedicated employees met the AOC’s 

Operate as One Team, Dedicated to One 

Mission goal with perfection. 

Project work also included 

updating stone curbs and 

ADA-compliant walkways 

as well as the design 

and construction of an 

aesthetically appealing 

garden shed. 
28 THOLOS

| VOLUME 24 THOLOS| VOLUME 24 29

AGENCY INITIATIVES

A FRESH 

VISION

WRITTEN BY DR. GANELLA SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS HATZENBUHLER
30 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

This summer, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) released a new agency vision statement, 

which speaks to our organizational focus:

Working together, we strengthen 

and showcase the foundation, 

facilities and functions supporting 

American democracy.

While our mission as an agency remains the same, the new vision statement clarifies how 

we will achieve our mission and better reflects the core values that allow us to RISE together.

To serve Congress and the Supreme 

Court, preserve America's Capitol 

and inspire memorable experiences.

“Working together” means that for AOC employees, regardless 

of their role or position, there is true, evident and time-tested 

collaboration. We can continue to elevate that collective spirit by 

relying on one another’s expertise and building on one another’s 

strengths. It is our spirit of teamwork that makes us so great!

“...we strengthen and showcase,” means that through the agency’s strategic initiatives (formerly known as the Big Rocks), and 

by doing the deep work that leads to transformational growth, 

we highlight and enhance recognition of the AOC as a worldclass agency. These initiatives enable the agency to build a safer, 

more inclusive and more effective workplace while preserving the 

Capitol campus for the future.

“...the foundation, facilities and functions supporting American 

democracy,” means the AOC is rooted in a tradition of unique 

craftsmanship and ingenuity. Tracing our beginnings to the 

laying of the U.S. Capitol cornerstone in 1793, we continue 

to serve Congress and the Supreme Court, as the builders and 

stewards of the iconic landmark buildings and grounds 

of Capitol Hill.

The work you do every day to achieve our critical mission is 

truly impressive and exemplifies your commitment to our vision. 

Every employee is encouraged to continue thinking about how 

to implement the vision, mission and values as both a personal 

and professional responsibility. 

We will continue to share more about the meaning of this new 

vision and ways that we are making it actionable in our agency's 

strategy. If you have any questions about the agency’s vision, 

mission, values, initiatives or strategy, please feel free to reach 

out to Dr. Ganella Smith at ganella.smith@aoc.gov or Mr. Tom 

Fields at thomas.fields@aoc.gov. 
THOLOS | VOLUME 24 31

ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

What is our focus?

VISION

Working together, we strengthen 

and showcase the foundation, 

facilities and functions supporting 

American democracy.

Why do we exist?

MISSION

To serve Congress and the 

Supreme Court, preserve 

America’s Capitol, and inspire 

memorable experiences.

How do we behave? 

CORE VALUES = RISE

RESPECT

We treat one another 

with civility and kindness, 

so that we honor the value 

and dignity of all people.

INTEGRITY

We demonstrate honesty, 

ethics and reliability, 

so that we earn trust and 

do what is right.

SAFETY

We are governed by the 

foundation of safety always, 

so that we can feel safe, 

make safe and be safe.

EMPOWERMENT

We are one team seeking 

better ways to do our work, 

so that we all contribute to 

the success of the AOC.
32 THOLOS | VOLUME 24

Legislative and Public Affairs

U.S. Capitol, Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515

THOLOS VOLUME 24

The Architect of the Capitol strives 

to meet its mission 24 hours a day, 

365 days a year to serve Congress 

and the Supreme Court, preserve

America’s Capitol, and inspire 

memorable experiences for all who 

visit the buildings and grounds.

Tholos is distributed by the Architect 

of the Capitol primarily for AOC 

employees. Questions regarding 

content and publication should be 

directed to AOC Legislative and Public 

Affairs at communications@aoc.gov, 

202.228.1793, or U.S. Capitol, Room 

SB-16, Washington, DC 20515.

JOIN AOC ONLINE:

Twitter.com/uscapitol 

Facebook.com/architectofthecapitol 

Instagram.com/uscapitol 

YouTube.com/uscapitol 

www.aoc.gov

Front Cover Photo By: 

Thomas Hatzenbuhler

Back Cover Photo By: 

Sean Greene