Architects and Critics Envision America's Future Through Buildings and Landscapes
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, The Architect's Newspaper conducted a unique survey, inviting architects, educators, writers, and photographers to select a building, location, or landscape that signifies the nation's future. Notable mentions include the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, data centers, and Railyard Park in Rogers, Arkansas. Carol Ross Barney highlights Railyard Park, while Frances Anderton likens the sea to uncertainty. The removal of I-375 in Detroit represents urban division, and the algae issue at the Reflecting Pool showcases governmental neglect of science. Vishaan Chakrabarti points to the planned redevelopment of Pennsylvania Station as a measure of civic unity. Additional highlights feature Johnie's Coffee Shop, the Draper Studio, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.
Key facts
- The Architect's Newspaper asked architects, educators, writers, and photographers to name a building, place, or landscape that embodies where the U.S. is headed.
- Responses were published in a roundup for America's 250th anniversary.
- Frances Anderton compared the U.S. to a sea, referencing Buckminster Fuller's 'spaceship Earth'.
- Carol Ross Barney cited Railyard Park in Rogers, Arkansas, as a model for midsize cities.
- The I-375 removal in Detroit was mentioned as a symbol of urban division.
- The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's algae problem was cited as emblematic of government disregard for science.
- Vishaan Chakrabarti highlighted the proposed transformation of Pennsylvania Station.
- Johnie's Coffee Shop in Los Angeles, a Googie gem, has been revived.
- Daniel Libeskind and Kate Orff discussed data centers and the Tennessee RiverLine, respectively.
- Ken Tadashi Oshima highlighted Isamu Noguchi's Black Sun sculpture in Seattle.
- PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity represented the U.S. at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
- The President's House memorial in Philadelphia has been stripped of interpretive panels by the Trump administration.
- Albina Library in Portland, Oregon, features a new mass timber addition designed by LEVER.
Entities
Artists
- Frances Anderton
- Carol Ross Barney
- Vishaan Chakrabarti
- Daniel Libeskind
- Kate Orff
- Ken Tadashi Oshima
- Mark Lamster
- Dori Tunstall
- Shane Reiner-Roth
- Buckminster Fuller
- Isamu Noguchi
- Walter Hood
- Emanuel Kelly
- Frederick Douglass
- Biddy Mason
- George Washington
- John Adams
- Henry Bacon
- Eero Saarinen
- Alexander Gorlin
- Colin Rowe
- Fred Koetter
- Chris Forman
- Michael Forman
Institutions
- The Architect's Newspaper
- MASS Design Group
- National Memorial for Peace and Justice
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- University of Tennessee
- Venice Architecture Biennale
- National Park Service
- LEVER
- Albina Library
- International African American Museum
- Hood Design Studio
- Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman
- Decurion Corporation
- Arclight Hollywood
- Cinerama Dome
- Bluestem Brands
- Orchard Brands
- Draper's & Damon's
- Alexander Gorlin Architects
- PAU
Locations
- United States
- Rogers
- Arkansas
- Detroit
- Michigan
- Washington, D.C.
- New York
- New York City
- Los Angeles
- California
- Pasadena
- Chicago
- Illinois
- Montgomery
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Seattle
- Washington
- Charleston
- South Carolina
- Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania
- Portland
- Oregon
- Altadena
- Manhattan Beach
- Santa Monica Mountains
- Simi Hills
- Highway 101
- Lake Michigan
- Elliott Bay
- Volunteer Park
- Wilshire and Fairfax
- Route 66
- Gadsden's Wharf
- Independence Historical Park