Gehry's design concept for Eisenhower memorial unveiled

[scandal 951]

Gehry's design concept for Eisenhower memorial unveiled

The design for the outdoor memorial, selected by the Eisenhower Memorial Commission and unveiled Thursday for a site just south of the National Mall, calls for monumental columns and large memorial tapestries of woven stainless steel that will portray images from the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower's life.

I suspect that a lot of design buffs are going to look at it and say: "That's a Frank Gehry?" Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not everything should be an eruption of titanium.

In a news release from the commission, Gehry explains the shift from his typically exuberant metal collages: "The approach to the design was to create a cohesive and important civic space and urban monument in the heart of the capital region that provides a quiet and contemplative space for learning about the vast accomplishments of President Eisenhower. He was a masterful but modest leader. My aim was to capture that spirit with the design.

[alienlovechild 75]

In a news release from the commission, Gehry explains the shift from his typically exuberant metal collages: "The approach to the design was to create a cohesive and important civic space and urban monument in the heart of the capital region that provides a quiet and contemplative space for learning about the vast accomplishments of President Eisenhower. He was a masterful but modest leader. My aim was to capture that spirit with the design.

Nothing against Ike but where's the national monument in DC to those who served in WWI? Eisenhower himself was stateside during WWI but I'm sure he'd approve as a military man who looked out for his troops.

[scandal 951]

Nothing against Ike but where's the national monument in DC to those who served in WWI? Eisenhower himself was stateside during WWI but I'm sure he'd approve as a military man who looked out for his troops.

You make a good point. However there's no lobby to fight for funding for a WWI memorial. They're all gone now .

[Danno 1,228]

You make a good point. However there's no lobby to fight for funding for a WWI memorial. They're all gone now .

Actually there is a WW1 memorial, it is sorta small but attractive though in near shambles from neglect.

I saw it last spring, in the late evening.

As a side note, the monuments all seem to take on a more special feeling when viewed at night.

http://www.dcpreservation.org/endangered/2003/warmemorial.html

[Danno 1,228]

I'm not crazy about this idea... or design.

Washington was designed to have a consistent flavor and all buildings and monuments reflected this up until, oh I don't know the fifties I guess.

Now every monument or building strives to be "unique" and I don't think it adds to the over all attractiveness nor the continuity of design.

IN fact the Mall (and city center) will more look like a table set with a hodge-podge collection... of dinner ware.

It's really a shame.

[alienlovechild 75]

Actually there is a WW1 memorial, it is sorta small but attractive though in near shambles from neglect.

http://www.dcpreservation.org/endangered/2003/warmemorial.html

It wasn't designed as a nationsl memorial and it's a shame that's the best they could do. Kinda funny when you consider that the Vietnam War was unpopular but they got a national monument built fairly quickly yet it took decades for WWII and Korean War memorials to be built.

"It was the first memorial on the Mall to list all D.C. residents who lost their lives in the war, regardless of their race, class, or gender. The D.C. War Memorial is the only local D.C. memorial on the National Mall. It was entrusted to the U.S. National Park Service."

[Danno 1,228]

Certainly the WW2 was a long time coming and it is not as goofy as some are turning out to be (FDR) I do sorta think it was a bit big though.

When one considers how few monuments were built in the first 200 years and how many have gone up in the last 40.... the Mall will be full by 2050.... which considering... might be about the end of the USA as we know it anyway.