Image courtesy EMC The Eisenhower family approves of recent changes but remains unhappy with the large metal tapestries. Related Links Gehry Modifies Design for Eisenhower Memorial American Enterprise Institute Responds to Critique of Forum on Memorial Design Modernism Takes a Beating at Forum on Memorial Design Ever since Gehry Partners unveiled changes to its design for the national memorial to President Dwight Eisenhower on May 15, the big question has been whether the Eisenhower family will now support the design. The adjustments, such as changing bas reliefs to statues and making one statue depict Eisenhower as a young man instead of

In the ongoing debate over whether memorials to commemorate political and military events and leaders should embrace architectural modernism or stick with classicism, several conservative groups have taken a firm stance in favor of classicism. Photo courtesy Wikipedia The National World War II Memorial (2004) was designed by Friedrich St. Florian. Related Links: Gehry Modifies Design for Eisenhower Memorial Gehry Hopes to Meet With Eisenhower Family to Allay Concerns A Monumental Debate On May 18, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a right-wing think tank focused on public policy, teamed up with the National Civic Art Society (NCAS), an advocacy organization

Image courtesy EMC Gehry has made several changes to the original design: A statue of Eisenhower as a seated barefoot boy has been moved from the center to the back and will now show him as a standing young man; Two free-standing sculptures, rather than bas reliefs in stone walls, will depict Eisenhower as a general and president; The walls will contain quotes from Eisenhower speeches. Related Links: A Monumental Debate Gehry Hopes to Meet with Eisenhower Family to Allay Concerns Gehry Chosen to Design Ike Memorial in D.C. On Tuesday morning, the 11-member Eisenhower Memorial Commission (EMC) met in

Will the Frank Gehry-designed Ike Memorial ever get built? Image courtesy EMC The design features metal tapestries depicting Eisenhower’s childhood, along with stone bas-reliefs showing him as a general and president. Click to view more images. Related Links: Gehry Hopes to Meet With Eisenhower Family to Allay Concerns Designs for National Mall Sites Unveiled Gehry Chosen to Design Eisenhower Memorial For an architect, no commission is more troublesome than creating a national memorial. Frank Gehry is learning firsthand just how fraught the process can be, with his design for a President Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial in Washington, D.C., generating widespread

Image courtesy EMC The memorial is slated to be built on Independence Avenue, across from the National Air and Space Museum. Related Links:Gehry Chosen to Design Eisenhower Memorial How Architects Can Land a Government Contract Frank Gehry hopes to meet with members of the Eisenhower family and work with them to assuage their concerns about his proposed memorial design, says the Eisenhower Memorial Commission (EMC), which is spearheading the $112 million project in Washington, D.C. The family has not responded to the invitation, other than to say they will confer before considering their next move, according to a March 30

Is landmarking a shield or a sword in the fight against overdevelopment? Among urbanists in America, the advent of landmark-preservation laws in the 1960s is usually viewed as an inspiring time in urban planning: Concerned communities, academics, and fans of architecture banded together to protect beloved old buildings from the grand plans of rich developers and powerful politicians. And, remarkably enough, the Davids usually defeated the Goliaths. But have they acquired too much power? So say a growing contingent of critics who believe preservation has gotten out of hand. They include left-leaning economic policy wonks, architects, and architectural critics. Photo: