The Competition
The National Native American Veterans Memorial Design Competition is sponsored by the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). The purpose of the competition is to select a design concept for a new memorial that will be located on the NMAI’s grounds and honor Native American veterans. Taking up the charge given by Congress, the NMAI will establish a National Native American Veterans Memorial to “give all Americans the opportunity to learn of the proud and courageous tradition of service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces of the United States.” This tribute to Native heroes will be located prominently on the grounds of the NMAI on the National Mall, between the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Competition Regulations can be found here.
Semifinalist Honorarium—$25,000
Projected Design/Construction Budget—$8 million
Memorial Site
The 4.25-acre site is bounded by Jefferson Drive and the National Mall to the north, Maryland and Independence Avenues and the Voice of America headquarters to the south, Third Street and the United States Botanic Garden to the east, and Fourth Street and the National Air and Space Museum to the west. The future Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is slated for the site to the southwest of the NMAI at Independence Avenue and Fourth Street.
Further information on the context, site, and the museum’s architectural and landscape design is available on the NMAI’s website.
Vision and Design Principles
The origins of the vision and design principles are the extensive community consultations conducted by the committee and museum. These discussions determined that the memorial should honor the interrelated elements of culture, spirituality, sacrifice, place, valor, healing, future service members, and the legacy of veterans past. Design concepts should address balance, inclusivity, respect, sustainability, endurance, accessibility, and interpretation of memorial elements.
For more vision and design principles, click here.
Competition Schedule
The design competition schedule is hereby appended to, and is part of, the competition regulations. It lists the sequence of events and the deadlines in accordance with the competition process. Modifications to the competition schedule, if made, will be published as addenda.
NOVEMBER 11, 2017 Registration Opens
JANUARY 9, 2018 Stage I Entries Due
WEEK OF JANUARY 15–19, 2018 Stage I Jury Session
JANUARY 25, 2018 Announcement of Stage II Participants
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 5–9, 2018 Stage II Briefing and “Meet Your Designers” Event
WEEK OF MARCH 5–9, 2018 Stage II Mid-course Review
MAY 1, 2018 Stage II Design Concept Submittals Due
MAY 1–15, 2018 Exhibition of Stage II Design Concepts
MAY 16, 2018 DOC Review of Stage II Design Concept Submittals
WEEK OF JUNE 4–8, 2018 Stage II Jury Session
JULY 4, 2018 Announcement of Selected Design Concept
NOVEMBER 11, 2020 Veterans Day Dedication of Memorial
