Vietnam Veteran Memorial Joins “Shape of America” Web Site

On October 20, the AIA’s Shape of America project—a series of Web-based short films showcasing a selection of the 150 structures chosen by the public as America’s Favorite Architecture—chose Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to join its repertoire of buildings that are expanding public dialogue about architecture and how it affects our lives.

The site features AIA architects sharing insight and personal anecdotes about architectural masterworks, in turn encouraging public discussion of the buildings using interactive features such as how to vote for the next buildings to be highlighted, architectural blogs, a system to rate the films, and an RSS feature alerting viewers when the site is updated with new material. The Vietnam Memorial joins with latest editions: the St. Louis Gateway Arch (inaugurated October 6), Plaza Hotel, Disney Concert Hall, USAF Cadet Chapel, and Philips Exeter Library—with new arrivals anticipated every two weeks. Visit ShapeofAmerica.org to see these videos for yourself. And, after viewing, please consider continuing the conversation by forwarding to your friends, colleagues, and clients—or start blogging! (Photo © Maya Lin.)