"Courtesy Roger K. Lewis, The Washington Post, March 16, 1991"The idea for this Competition came from awareness that while the Washington Monument is the defining feature of the Washington, DC, skyline — and the centerpiece of the nation’s most symbolic public open space — the design of the Monument grounds has never been fully realized despite two centuries of planning ideas. This competition will give Americans of all ages an opportunity to help shape a national discussion of creative and innovative ideas.
The Competition, organized in spring 2010, is led by an independent Steering Committee of university professors, architects and designers, and civic leaders in partnership with The George Washington University. Sponsors include the National Ideas Competition, LearningTimes, Albert H. Small, George Washington University, the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects, and other educational and professional organizations. The Jury is composed of distinguished individuals who are creative and forward thinkers and span a variety of careers and perspectives: architecture, community planning, design, academia (geography, history, American studies), civics, and theater arts.