A former English teacher from Berkeley wondered why there was no national monument for peace amidst our country’s many national monuments to war. So in 1985 she determined to create a National Peace Garden in Washington DC. A National Peace garden was approved by Congress in 1987, and the competition drew nearly 1,000 entries.
The winning entry was by Eduardo Catalano, whose design took the shape of an olive branch from a bird’s-eye view. However, the firm of RHAA was selected to design the park, which was to be located on Hains Point in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, funding was not secured, and the project remained unbuilt.
This exhibition explores this idea, the competition for its design, and its fate by asking, “What is a Peace Garden? What is its value? What should it look like? Who pays for it?” Most of the 900+ design submissions will be presented via rotating digital images. Original sketches and drawings from the design competition, letters from supporters and detractors, and examples of other peace gardens are included in the material on display, provided by the Environmental Design Archives and Environmental Design Library.
