Comments on: Eisenhower Memorial Controversy Grows

By: Herb Zeller

Herb Zeller — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:01:06 +0000

If anything the Gehry design compares well with the architecture of the 40s, 50s and 60s, the period when bold brutal concrete buildings inspired by the French starchitect of the time, Le Corbusier, were all the rage. It is truly a non-sequitor for Gehry, whose free-formed sculptural buildings resemble crumpled wads of paper or crushed cans. Gehry must have turned this project over to one of his junior architects whose inspiration draws from sports megaplexes complete with baseball backstop, drive-in theatre screen and electronic billboard.

Lets be thankful it’s not a reconstituted piece of a classical temple. Unfortunately, it approaches the banal pile of granite blocks, waterfalls, pools and ugly statuary honoring FDR which, given similar elements at the ML King memorial, is probably the lowest common denominator of acceptability in bureaucratic, politically correct, design-by-committee Washington. It is not a place for a starchitect to do his thing.

By: jene26

jene26 — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:09:29 +0000

This is an expensive memorial but is going to be perfect once its finished. People should stop complaining about such trivial things.

By: William Heimiller

William Heimiller — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:46:45 +0000

Why did the process change?…from open design competition to closed selection. The standard process of open design competition has been astonishingly successful, and as a former soldier and designer I have special affection for the Vietnam memorial which would not be if not for open design. As an American, I felt enormous pride that Maya Lin’s discovered talent led to such a perfect design.

A process doesn’t change by chance or randomness. Process remains by default, and especially if it is successful, as the open process has been. This means some outside force/mechanism imposed itself on this process. I wish the best for the National Civic Art Society, which has launched an investigation into the matter. Maybe some calls to Congress could help save Ike’s memory.
http://www.eisenhowermemorial.net/

By: Nomi Waksberg

Nomi Waksberg — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:19:42 +0000

Susan Eisenhower’s reference to the Roosevelt memorial is a key statement. Not only because she points out a more democratic process of involvement in the final decision, but because she (and I presume others in the family) have taken time to consider what a memorial should mean to them. The Roosevelt Memorial is a wonderful place to contemplate the greatness of this president. I don’t think the Eisenhower project, as described here, offers that type of inspiration.
Yes – do start over, starting with the “concepts” of what is important.

By: Christine G. H. Franck

Christine G. H. Franck — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:12:04 +0000

Correction, the metal screens are mounted 15 feet off the ground, so they really are 80 feet tall, as noted in Susan Eisenhower’s testimony. Gehry’s design is incomprehensible to most citizens and not a memorial, rather it is a theme park of ideas with no center or focus. AND this mess will cost us at least $112 million, $35 million of which has already been spent on little more than a schematic design which has been panned by all except a few of Gehry’s lackeys and some in the architectural media. It’s time to add this design to the “Unbuilt Washington” exhibit. Good try, but let’s move on.

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:51:21 +0000

I know that Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter) disapproves of architect F. Gehry’s design. Eisenhower deserves a much better memorial for his accomplishments.

By: T. de Lempicka

T. de Lempicka — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:44:40 +0000

The debate about this memorial has become absurd. Yes, the scale of the memorial is too large (sorry, but Ike doesn’t warrant this much square footage), and it’s not a particularly good Gehry design, but the idea of building something classical instead is just ridiculous. It’s not the 19th century!

By: Mike Penque

Mike Penque — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:14:16 +0000

As my opinion, I would offer you to make a competition between designers. And then choose for example 5 to 10 different interesting projects for that monument and let the commission of the Eisenhower family choose which one they like most. For the winner offer a prize: either study, money, job or whatever. That way family will take an action in choosing the project and may be satisfied by their choice.

By: Gerald Forsburg

Gerald Forsburg — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:41:16 +0000

It is sad that America’s leaders are using a process for selecting the design of this memorial that leaves out America’s undiscovered talent! How Un-American.