Huma 1315: The Vietnam Memorial Wall

Christopher Cunningham

Dr. Patricia J. Guthrie

HUMA-1315-TC042 (Fine Arts Appreciation)

Final paper: The Vietnam Memorial

Architect: Maya Lin

Name of building: The Vietnam Memorial

Figure Number: 80 page 70

Date of construction: 1982

Location: Washington D.C.

Dimensions and Size: The wall is approximately 246.75 feet long which is made up of

70 separate blocks which are made of granite concrete paneling and is 10.1 in height.

Spanning element: steel and reinforced concrete

Materials: stone and concrete

What is the purpose of the building: The Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. serves

as a place of memorial to those both living and dead who sacrificed their lives in the

Vietnam war. May Lin the one who helped construct the memorial wanted it to

give the visitor a feeling of peace and safety to show that this sacrifice was not in

vain but despite that it was an unpopular war it served a greater purpose to remember

the dead and the sacrifice they gave to America.

Consider the formal elements and how it relates to the purpose of the building:

The Vietnam Memorial stands as a wall made of black granite and stone reinforced

Concrete. It list over 58,261 names in addition to another 1200 inscriptions of those

either taken prisoner of war or are missing in action while in service in Vietnam. The

panel of names contains 137 lines. The first known causality is listed as Richard B.

Fitzgibbon June 8 1956 along with his son Lance Corp Richard B. Fitzgibbon following

in Sept 1965. All names on the memorial are listed in chronological order from first and

last name to casualty date. As you continue down the wall you notice that it faces both the

Washington and Lincoln memorial. It allows the viewer to take in the beautiful sites

surrounding the memorial with others near by which are surrounded by trees. The viewer

merges