Fallen Journalists Memorial competition selects four finalists for new D.C. site design

The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation’s competition to design a new memorial space on federally-owned land in Washington, D.C. has named its four-finalist shortlist ahead of the announcement of an overall winner that is expected later in the spring.

The nation’s first memorial dedicated to the cause of press freedom was first launched in 2020 and will culminate in a public memorial in direct view of Capitol Hill on the National Mall. 

Paul Goldberger, Milton S.F. Curry, Blair Kamin, and Mia Lehrer are among the notable names on the seven-person Selection Committee. Together, they chose from a group of 54 initial entries to create a 12-strong semi-finalist group. The four teams that made it to the final round are:

• Höweler + Yoon Architecture
• John Ronan Architects
• MOS Architects and Hood Design Studio 
• NADAAA

Walter Hood and Höweler+Yoon have both recently contributed to the designs for the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia, respectively.

In a press release announcing the finalists, David Dreier, the Chairman of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, said: “I’m excited to learn how they translate the concept of press freedom and the notion of honoring those who have lost their lives in pursuit of truth into a cohesive design of this public memorial of preeminent and historical significance.”

Goldberger added: “It has been a real honor to help lead this process and participate in rigorous discussions with my colleagues on the selection committee to determine the best approach for translating our memorial concepts into architectural form. Determining which of the four design teams should advance to the final stage of consideration has been exceptionally difficult given the consistent quality and seriousness of commitment to the idea of this memorial that every one of the 12 semi-finalist teams has shown in this process.”

An announcement is expected before summer. You can learn more about supporting the Fallen Journalists Memorial at fallenjournalists.org.