Central Heating Plant

The Central Heating Plant is a historic heating facility in Southwest Washington, D.C., that supplies most of the federal buildings near the National Mall. Designed by Paul Philippe Cret in 1933, the building is done in the Art Deco style and is considered an early example of modern architecture that deliberately breaks with Washington's classical building tradition. Despite its industrial function, the facade impresses with its careful design, including pilasters, vertical bands of windows, and three octagonal smokestacks that do not rise above the roofline. Also worth noting are the limestone reliefs depicting technical elements such as boilers and generators. Originally built to burn coal, the plant now runs on oil and natural gas. The structure has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007.