EXPLORING NEW FORMS OF COMMEMORATION IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL

Thank you for your interest in the Beyond Granite design competition. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the competition was put on hold and the selection of finalists postponed. No date was determined for when this hold will be lifted. We will post more information as it comes available. See official notice on FedBizOpps.gov

Aerial photo of proposed installation site
Proposed site for temporary installation — the Ariel Rios Hemicycle on 12th Street NW in the Federal Triangle.

Washington is home to hundreds of memorials dedicated to significant figures and events in our nation’s history. While some of the city’s most recognized and loved structures are commemorative in nature, erecting a new permanent memorial in the nation’s capital is a lengthy and often expensive undertaking. As such, a newly proposed memorial can take years to complete, and many ultimately go unrealized. In addition, those that are built sometimes fail to retain their emotional or instructional resonance over time.

To provide an alternative to groups seeking to commemorate an important person, event or idea in the nation’s capital, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is examining the potential for temporary commemorative works to provide opportunities that permanent memorials – by design – do not.

In cooperation with the General Services Administration (GSA), NCPC is sponsoring a design competition for a new temporary outdoor commemorative installation in Washington, DC – part of a broader effort by NCPC to examine the feasibility of temporary memorials in Washington and foster a public dialogue regarding the nature of commemoration in the nation’s capital.


Learn more about the competition »