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Shortlist announced for the National Medal of Honor Museum

Major Mettle

Shortlist announced for the National Medal of Honor Museum

Arlington, TX Entertainment District Master Plan (Courtesy National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation)

The Medal of Honor is the highest military honor a U.S. citizen can receive, and the organization that supports it, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, sent out a call for submissions last year for the creation of a museum that would highlight the award’s values. The foundation outlined a vision for a museum to put the achievements of the medal’s 3,500 recipients and history and values as they’ve stood since the Civil War in the foreground. Arlington, Texas, was selected in August as a fitting setting for the new National Medal of Honor Museum, and on October 16, the foundation announced a shortlist of four high-profile teams comprised of both architects and landscape architects with distinct visions for the project. The list includes:

Davis Brody Bond, LLP and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (Landscape Architect)

Ennead Architects, LLP and Hargreaves Jones (Landscape Architect)

Fentress Architects, Ltd. and Civitas, Inc. (Landscape Architect)

Rafael Viñoly Architects and MPFP (Landscape Architect)

The master plan calls for not just a new building to be placed on the site but extensive landscaping as well, with the intent creating a unique surrounding context for the space. The museum will be a part of a larger Entertainment District plan for the city of Arlington, which will include other urban attractions like retail and sport stadiums, so the museum grounds will need to be tailored specifically to the history of the award: Situated to serve the needs of urban visitors, while also creating a unique sense of place. 

All of the shortlisted teams have extensive experience designing large-scale public works as well as museum commissions, from the Denver International Airport to the September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York. 

“Working with the City of Arlington and these world-class architects,” said Joe Daniels, the foundation’s president and CEO, “we are confident that we are on our way to creating a truly iconic museum that reflects well upon the recipients of the Medal of Honor and all those who have given of themselves for our nation.”

The winning design team is expected to be announced in January 2020. 

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