Design Winner
Design Competition Winner
Conor O’Shea of Hinterlands Urbanism and Landscape
Our winning design was submitted by Conor O’Shea of Hinterlands Urbanism and Landscape. Mr. O’Shea is a Landscape Architect and an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois as well as the founder and director of the Landscape Strategies Laboratory.
Where Every Element Honors Their Sacrifice
The Memorial Wall and Plaza
The Memorial Wall and Plaza occupy the center of the site and are cupped by densely planted tree groves, masses of spring bulbs, and flowering perennials. Gently mounding landforms encircle the park, buffering noise and light from the surrounding community, and providing a stunning visual backdrop.
The Great Lawn
The one-acre Great Lawn is a flexible space for a range of activities including picnicking or watching events on the plaza. Its gentle upwards slope of nearly four feet helps provide views down towards the plaza.
Stars and Stripes Grove
Alternating rows of Loblolly Pines (Pinus taeda) and Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) make up the Stars and Stripes Grove. During the fall, the Ginkgo leaves turn bright yellow and fall off suddenly, creating a striping effect with the contrasting tall, narrow, and evergreen pines.
Honor Grove
At the Honor Grove, bronze plaques are nestled among Cinnamon Ferns (Osmunda cinnamomea) and white Tulips (Tulipa ‘Maureen’), and beneath the cathedral-like branching of a grid of 28 American Elms (Ulmus americana).
Each Service will be represented by a grove of trees surrounding the great lawn.
Coast Guard Grove
Post Oak
Air Force Grove
Red Maple
Army Grove
White Oak
Marines Grove
Black Gum
Navy Grove
Tulip Trees
Numerous evergreens including Short Leaf Pine will screen the memorials edges. Flowering Dogwoods will anchor the processional path and reflecting path on both ends of the central plaza.
Second Place Winner
Steve Butler
PB2 Architecture + Engineering | Rogers, AR
Third Place Winner
Sae Kim & David Nagahiro
CBT Architects | Boston, MA
This memorial is envisioned as a place uniquely its own:
Designed to inspire both the Springdale community and visitors.
Built to commemorate and educate.
Honors those who gave their all.
Preserves the legacy of freedom and hope.