United States Air Force Memorial
Arlington, Virginia/USA

Reinforcing the architectural agility of the United States Air Force Memorial, illumination appears to emanate from within the monument itself, bursting into the night sky. Lighting the memorial was a highly technical challenge, as each of the stainless steel spires has a different footprint and height, presents a small surface area, and sways up to eighteen inches in the wind.

Because the monument is located on a commercial flight path, red beacons would typically need to be placed at the mid-point and tip of each spire. Instead, we creatively met the regulations by brightly lighting the top third of the structure. Powerful floodlights with narrow beam optics are concealed behind flanking granite inscription walls and are precisely aimed along the arc of each spire. The lighting brightens gradually, subtly articulating the curving tips of the monument.

Client: Air Force Memorial Foundation
Architect: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Photography: Thomas Meyer
Graphics: OVI