A suspended steel volume for memory: Viñoly’s Medal of Honor Museum opens to the public

In Arlington, Texas, the newly opened National Medal of Honor Museum by Rafael Viñoly Architects (RVA) was designed as a hymn to courage, civic spirit and patriotism, and to memory as a means of preserving these values over time. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The complex is located within the Entertainment District, which also includes AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park, home to the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers sports teams respectively. On the ground floor, a lowered circular open-air space (the “Rotunda of Honour”) accessible by the slope of the ground and enclosed by a structural glass volume - housing an education centre, a 240-seat theatre and a flex space - serves as a hub for events and ceremonies, dramatically illuminated by zenithal light penetrating through a zenithal oculus. A golden ring covers the ceiling and bears the names of the 3,528 Medal of Honour recipients, engraved and backlit to form a memorial.

From this level, two open-air suspended staircases spiral –  almost as a cathartic path –  towards the fulcrum of the composition: a monolithic parallelepiped (60 x 60 x 10 metres) clad in opaque metal, suspended 12 metres above the landscape on five gigantic concrete columns. A strong symbolic meaning inspires the design: the laconic volume cantilevering 15 metres in each direction, which houses the exhibition spaces, evokes the burden of military valour (and of sacrifice) while the columns enclosing the services and technical spaces each represent a corps of the US armed forces. At the top, a large oculus recalling US Space Force pierces the suspended volume and floods the heart of the building with natural light.

Inside the exhibition space (curated by G&A studio), wartime memorabilia (including a Huey helicopter), mementos and recordings of battles, audiovisuals and clips of interviews elaborated by artificial intelligence lead into an immersive experience of heroism.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime for us to shepherd my father’s poetic and visionary design for the National Medal of Honor Museum to its ultimate realization,” said Román Viñoly, son of the late Rafael and partner of the firm. “The Museum is more than a building; it is a living tribute to the heroes who have shaped our nation. Its architecture aims to inspire visitors to recognize the heroic qualities of Medal of Honor Recipients and to cultivate them within themselves, fostering a culture of everyday heroism and sacrifice for the public good”.