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The internationally renowned company will work closely with the foundation’s leadership to create a historic tribute to the fallen journalist and press freedom.
Washington DC – The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation announced its selection today John Ronan Architects Design Foundation’s namesake monument, the first national monument dedicated to press freedom and the journalists who gave their lives to that cause. The selection of the memorial’s designer marks an important milestone in the construction of the memorial, which has received congressional approval and federal approval to be constructed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the coming months. Ronan FAIA and his team will work with foundation leadership to develop final designs to be presented to various agencies and committees.
John Ronan Architects is an internationally renowned design firm headquartered in Chicago known for innovation, exploration of materiality and rigorous attention to detail. The firm’s buildings have been recognized with multiple AIA National Honor Awards, including the Poetry Foundation, the Gary Comer Center for Youth, and Illinois Institute of Technology’s Ed. Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship, John. Ronan attends the Institute where he holds the John & Jeanne Rowe Chair in Architecture. John is a recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Architecture Prize, and his firm was a finalist in the competition for the Obama Presidential Center.
“After a rigorous design team selection process, John Ronan Architects was selected for his strong grasp of our vision for the memorial, as well as his creativity and attention to detail,” David Dreier, president of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, said. “Equally important, we were inspired by his unique and striking design philosophy, which called for the use of transparent materials to convey themes of clarity and light to emphasize the importance of the work of journalists, photojournalists and freelance journalists. “
At its core, the monument commemorates the lives lost in the pursuit of truth and celebrates First Amendment rights in American democracy. The design concept outlines a compelling memorial experience that touches on themes of transparency and light, emphasizing the importance of these factors to the work of journalists and freedom of the press. It will feature a layered composition of transparent elements that look different on all three sides of the triangular site, suggesting that journalists must analyze multiple sides of a story to discern the truth, and encouraging visitors to investigate each through their own journey. space. Just as journalists serve as watchdogs in our democracy, the design will highlight the memorial’s diligent surveillance of the Capitol dome and be visible above the memorial’s eastern edge.
“After receiving and reviewing so many thoughtful comments, we knew choosing John Ronan Architects was the right decision,” said Barbara Cochran, president of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation. “The ideas their team came up with crystallize the vision we have always wanted for this memorial: to be a place of reflection and appreciation, a place to learn about press freedom, and most importantly, to honor the journalists who gave their lives fighting for freedom.”
“The memorial will be a journey of discovery, slowly unfolding space by space, like a story that puts visitors in the role of investigative journalists,” said John Ronan, founder of John Ronan Architects. “I look forward to working with the foundation to create an inspiring place of remembrance that honors those who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of truth and celebrates the First Amendment foundation on which democracy is built.”
The 10-month selection process was led by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Goldberger and a 10-member design team selection committee. The committee initially received more than 50 proposals from various architects and designers in the United States and abroad. John Ronan Architects was chosen from four finalists who were asked to present their work and concepts to a selection committee. In addition to Goldberger, Cochran and Dreier, the selection committee includes landscape architect Mia Lehrer; Milton Curry, professor of architecture at Cornell University; Joe Day, architect; Blair Kamin, architecture critic; Eden Rafshoon, Chairman of the Embassy Arts and Conservation Foundation; Alan Harwood, Partner, AECOM; and Vincent Randazzo, Program Director, Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation.
About the Foundation
In December 2020, Congress authorized the Fallen Journalists Memorial Fund to build a monument on federal land in Washington, D.C., to commemorate America’s commitment to press freedom by honoring journalists who have given their lives to the cause. The foundation is led by former U.S. Rep. David Dreier, the former chairman of Tribune Publishing, and Barbara Cochran, a former news executive and journalism professor. The foundation is supported by numerous leaders from all areas of journalism who serve on its advisory board, including editors and publishers, news anchors and photojournalists.To learn more about the Fallen Journalists Memorial and how to support this work, visit www.fallenjournalists.org and follow us @FJ Memorial Hall.
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