THE ARCH

An Alternative American Vision For the Triumphal Arch

Memorial Circle, Washington, DC

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American Design Concept Honoring the Civil War Veterans and America's Armed Forces Who Preserved America's Freedom

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" America's 250th Anniversary Deserves a Monument Only America Could Have Created."

Driven by patriotism and professional conviction, an American designer developed an original American monument concept to honor the more than 14,000 Civil War veterans at Arlington and the generations of Americans who fought to preserve our freedom, creating an independent vision rather than replicating the Arc de Triomphe.

Rather than relying on historical European precedents, particularly the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and adding a monumental statue to achieve the desired height, we have the opportunity to create something entirely our own, an enduring civic landmark that reflects American identity, innovation, symbolism, leadership, and the spirit of a nation that has shaped the modern world.

Driven by patriotism and more than two decades of experience in design and visualization, I developed this alternative conceptual proposal to explore what a truly American monument could be.

The proposal responds to concerns raised during the public review process regarding symbolic clarity, preservation of historic sightlines, visitor experience, and public safety, while embracing the extraordinary significance of this site.

The concept preserves and strengthens the visual relationship among the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington House, and Arlington National Cemetery through a more open architectural form that frames these landmarks rather than competing with them.

Dedicated drop-off areas, integrated museum spaces, a panoramic rooftop observation terrace, and improved visitor circulation are envisioned to create a richer and safer public experience while enhancing access to one of the nation's most important ceremonial landscapes.

At the heart of the proposal is a unique civic tradition unlike any other in the world...

Each year, on July 4th at precisely noon, the concept is designed to align a beam of sunlight through a calibrated oculus within the arch, illuminating a stone datum inscribed with words from the Declaration of Independence.

In this envisioned moment, architecture, astronomy, history, and national memory converge. The proposed event transforms Independence Day into a shared civic experience, renewing the founding ideals of the nation and symbolizing what Abraham Lincoln described as a “new birth of freedom.”

More than a monument, this proposal envisions an annual national event capable of drawing visitors from across America and around the world. It imagines a living landmark that would not merely commemorate history, but actively contribute to the nation's civic story year after year.

America's 250th anniversary is more than a celebration of the past. It is an opportunity to consider how future generations might remember this moment in our nation's story—and to imagine a landmark worthy of that memory.

The goal is not simply to build another monumental structure. The goal is to create a timeless American landmark, one that honors our past, inspires our future, captures global imagination, and stands as a lasting symbol of the vision, creativity, and leadership of the United States for generations to come.

Shady Migally

Triumphal Arch - Independence arch - Memorial Arch - Monumental Arch -Trump's arch - Arc de Triomphe - Monument Arch - Washington Arch

[View the Full Independence Arch Presentation]

Design Proposal For The Independence Arch_05-2026-S.pdf

Triumphal Arch - Independence arch - Memorial Arch - Monumental Arch -Trump's arch - Arc de Triomphe - Monument Arch - Washington Arch

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