Global War on Terrorism Memorial Design Unveiled on National Mall, Draws Bipartisan Congressional Criticism

A design concept for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial was unveiled earlier this week for a site on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The memorial, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is described as a classically inspired amphitheater with a ribbon made of reclaimed steel for combat operations and covered in vegetation that arches over the marble surface.

Steel and stone recovered from the sites of the 9/11 terror attacks will be placed at the entrances.

A shallow reflecting pool will allow visitors to leave their footprints next to embedded ones representing the weight of war and the varied experiences of those who served and their families, according to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.

The foundation said it gathered input from 20,000 Americans across all 50 states and territories, including members of every branch of service and veterans of every conflict since World War II. A 23-member Design Advisory Council of Gold Star family members, veterans, veteran families, and service members guided the design team.

Kengo Kuma stated that the memorial is not an abstract commission but a sacred responsibility. He noted he lost a close friend in the attacks on the World Trade Center and said his role was not to impose a design but to listen. The voices of those who served and the families who stood beside them became our source of inspiration, Kuma said.

We wanted to create a place of reflection and connection, a living Memorial where nature, light, and the materials of this war come together as an embrace for a grateful Nation. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote on X that the design is a disappointing landscape feature better suited to a hotel courtyard or mini golf course than a monument to the courageous men and women who fought and the lives lost to radical Islamic terrorism.