Revised Eisenhower Memorial Design Approved

Back in March we reported on proposed legislation that would have scrapped Frank Gehry's competition-winning design for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, DC, cutting the budget by a third in the process. Regardless of this Republican opposition, and that of Eisenhower's family, Gehry's revised memorial design has been approved by the Memorial Commission, which is made up of members of Congress and private citizens. Gehry's refinements since the March news include figural additions and revisions, namely sculptures and bas-reliefs that depict important events in Eisenhower's long career in the military and as the 34th President.

In a letter from Gehry to the Commission on June 19, the architect says: "I have spent the last four years immersed in Eisenhower’s words, and the words of those who have shaped how history will define him. These two perspectives are often at odds - one modest, the other monumental. ... In designing this memorial to President Eisenhower’s life of public service, we have striven to embody that balance, to create a physical memorial that exemplifies the immaterial qualities that have made him an indelible part of our nation’s legacy."

The approved design moves to the Committee of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission for their approvals.