American memorial buildings, US remembrance architecture, United States of America architects news

American Memorial Designs

Key American public commemoration projects. Modern USA commemorative architectural designs images and news.

post updated December 15, 2025

Recent US memorial design on e-architect:

May 19, 2021
Memorial at Harvey Milk Plaza, Castro District, San Francisco, California
Design: SWA Group

rendering courtesy Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza & SWA Group
SWA Group Selected To Design Inclusive memorial At Harvey Milk Plaza In San Francisco dedicated to visionary LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Leader. Located in The Castro, the historic heart of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community, the evolving memorial will emphasize inclusivity, activism, and hope

+++

US Memorial Buildings

Commemorative Designs in the USA, alphabetical:

Jul 16, 2008
Atlanta Arch, Georgia

photo from S&R
The biggest civic monument to be built in the USA since 1936 was officially opened in Atlanta on 4th July 2008. Dedicated to 2000 years of peaceful accomplishment, the inauguration ceremony was conducted by a line-up of local and national figures from public life including the Bishop of Atlanta and Congressman John Lewis. Mr Lewis, a friend and colleague of Martin Luther King (who was himself a citizen of Atlanta), declared the site “a place of peace.” The National Monuments Foundation turned to British architect Hugh Petter to create a unifying design for the 70 ft high classical monument which is taller than London’s Wellington Arch.

Jan 17, 2017
Eisenhower Memorial Washington DC, Washington, D.C.
Design: Frank Gehry Architect

image from Frank O. Gehry architects
The memorial’s key element, a 440-foot-long woven-metal tapestry, remains. But the subject of the tapestry has shifted. It had been a scene of Ike’s hometown of Abilene, Kanas; it is now an aerial view of Normandy, where Allied troops under Ike’s direction landed on D-Day.

Jun 13, 2016
Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, New York, NY
Date built: 1886
Design: Frederic Bartholdi Architect

photograph : Hausman LLC
The Statue closed in October 2011 to undergo upgrades to visitor safety and accessibility. It reopened on October 28, 2012, the 126th anniversary of its original dedication, and then closed again the next day due to the Superstorm. The storm was not the first major challenge faced by the contractor on this project. In 2004, the contractor performed the initial life safety upgrades necessary to re-open the Monument after the events of 9/11.

Feb 1, 2016
The Weight of Sacrifice Memorial Washington, D.C., Pershing Park, Washington, D.C.
Design: Joseph Weishaar with sculptor Sabin Howard

image of design proposal
The site for the memorial is Pershing Park, a triangle on Pennsylvania Avenue just two blocks from the White House. It was designed by M. Paul Friedberg with plantings by Oehme, van Sweden & Associates; saving it has become a cause célèbre, with the Cultural Landscape Foundation (CLF) and its president, Charles Birnbaum, at the forefront.