AIA urges court to pause proposed Triumphal Arch project
AIA’s position is grounded in a longstanding commitment to responsible planning, design excellence, historic preservation and meaningful public participation.
WASHINGTON – October 27, 2026 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) joined like-minded groups asking a federal court to halt construction of the proposed Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle.
AIA’s position is grounded in a longstanding commitment to responsible planning, design excellence, historic preservation and meaningful public participation. A project of this scale and prominence should move forward only after the rigorous review Congress established for commemorative works in the nation’s capital.
The brief filed with the court supports the main case’s argument that the project advanced without the congressional authorization and review required by the Commemorative Works Act. It also contends that the federal review did not adequately evaluate environmental and historic impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. According to the brief, the proposed structure would disrupt the historic visual and symbolic connection among the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Memorial Circle, Arlington National Cemetery, and Arlington House. The brief also argues that agencies did not meaningfully consider alternative sites or designs that could avoid or reduce harm.
“The monuments of Washington, D.C., carry meaning far beyond any individual project,” said 2026 AIA President Illya Azaroff, FAIA. “Changes to this nationally significant landscape demand rigorous review and a deliberative, transparent, and legally sound process. Construction should be paused while the court determines whether these safeguards have been followed, before irreversible harm is done to a landscape that belongs to the nation.”
AIA supports commemoration and ambitious civic architecture but believes projects of this scale should advance through a transparent process that reflects public input, careful stewardship and meaningful consideration of alternatives.
Learn more about AIA’s efforts to preserve Washington, D.C. landmarks.
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