Newly released renderings reveal the design for a planned memorial on the National Mall. The Global War on Terrorism Memorial will honor those who served in military conflicts following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011.
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation revealed its designs on Wednesday. The monument is planned for an area adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Design Plan
Architect Kengo Kuma designed the memorial, with input from a 2018 campaign that gathered feedback from 20,000 Americans.
“The voices of those who served and the families who stood beside them became our source of inspiration,” Kuma said in a news release. “We wanted to create a place of reflection and connection, a living Memorial where nature, light, and the materials of this war come together as an embrace for a grateful Nation.”
The plan also includes an arch-shaped structure made of reclaimed war steel and covered in living vegetation.
The design permits light to filter through the structure, “casting shadows that reveal stories, memories, and moments of connection — even in the darkest places,” according to the design concept.
In addition, there will be a Path of Honor connecting the memorial to the National Mall. The path will be adorned with footprints that “carry the weight of war and the lived experience of warriors, their families, and the communities who held them.” Steel and stone relics recovered from the sites of the September 11 attacks will stand at each of the Memorial’s three entrances.
The memorial will also have a shallow reflecting pool. Visitors can walk through the pool to leave footprints of their own alongside the ones imprinted on the path.
Making the Memorial a Reality
Congress first approved the plan for the new monument in 2017 with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Act, which President Donald Trump signed.
The foundation will now meet with the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts to get concept approval. The goal is to reach a groundbreaking by 2027 and to complete the project by 2028.
Feature image courtesy Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation
