U.S. World War I Centennial Commission To Announce Memorial Design Competition Selectee

Poppies in Flanders fields call to mind one of the best known poems of WWI. (Wikimedia)

WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission has scheduled a press event to formally announce the selected design concept for the national World War I Memorial design competition.

The event will take place at the National Press Club in Washington, DC at 2pmon Monday, 25 January 2016. All media members are invited to attend.

The Commission was established Congress in 2013 to ensure a suitable observation in the United States of the centennial of World War I.  In 2014 Congress authorized the commission to establish a national World War I memorial in Washington, D.C.  Congress designated Pershing Park as the site for the memorial.

Pershing Park is located one block from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, adjacent to the Willard Hotel and the District of Columbia’s Wilson Building.

In May 2015 the commission opened an international design competition. In Stage I of the competition, the Commission received more than 360 design concepts from designers around the world. In August, an independent jury of design professionals and historians selected five of the design concepts to advance to Stage II of the competition.

The five design teams consulted with representatives from the Commission, the National Park Service, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and other stakeholders to develop and refine their design concepts. The designs must must meet a number of criteria related to design merit, site considerations, environmental impact, historical preservation, sustainability, and cost.  The designers submitted their final concepts in December 2015.

The competition jury reviewed the finalists’ submissions earlier this month, and recommended a team for selection by the Commission.

More information about the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission may be found by visiting:
UPDATE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION WILL DELAY DECISION OF MEMORIAL DESIGN COMPETITION SELECTEE BY ONE DAY, DUE TO WEATHER
WASHINGTON, DC: Due to severe winter weather forecast, the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission has been forced to delay their scheduled meetings to select, and announce, a World War I Memorial design concept.
The Commission was slated to meet on Monday, 25 January, and vote on the design competition jury recommendation. That meeting will now take place on Tuesday, 26 January.
The subsequent selection media announcement, originally slated for 25 January, will now take place on Tuesday, 26 January.
Congress established the Commission in 2013 to ensure a suitable observation in the United States of the centennial of World War I. In 2014 Congress authorized the commission to create a national World War I memorial in Washington, D.C., and designated Pershing Park as the site for the memorial.
Pershing Park is located one block from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, adjacent to the Willard Hotel and the District of Columbia’s Wilson Building.
In May 2015 the commission launched an open, international design competition. In Stage I of the competition, the Commission received more than 360 design concepts from designers around the world. In August, an independent jury of design professionals and historians selected five of the design concepts to advance to Stage II of the competition.
The five design teams consulted with representatives from the Commission, the National Park Service, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and other stakeholders to develop and refine their design concepts. The designs must [must] meet a number of criteria related to design merit, site considerations, environmental impact, historic[al] preservation, sustainability, and cost. The designers submitted their final concepts in December 2015.
The Jury has reviewed the Stage II submissions, met with each design team in public presentations, and is prepared to make a recommendation to the Commission at the rescheduled Commission meeting.
The Finalist design concepts can be found here
Information about the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission can be found here.