Architect Revises His Plans for WWII Memorial

WASHINGTON — A redesigned World War II memorial--lighter, lower and less massive than the original--was proposed Tuesday as a new entry in the capital’s never-ending monument controversy.

Taking to heart criticism by the Commission on Fine Arts that his first design was too massive, architect Friedrich St. Florian removed the original plan’s 50 stone columns, interior spaces and surrounding rose-covered earthworks called berms. He retained the original 7.4 acre site and a scaled-back memorial plaza.

The new plan centers on the existing Rainbow Pool at the head of the Reflecting Pool, which stretches to the Lincoln Memorial.

Former Republican Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas is heading a campaign to raise $100 million to build the memorial. Officials said $24 million has been raised.

The design process for national monuments has never been easy. The Washington Monument stood unfinished for decades. The Vietnam Memorial, now one of the most visited sites in the capital, was controversial from its inception.