CFA 21/JUL/16-2

Dear Secretary Cleland:

In its meeting of 21 July, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a revised concept submission for a new visitor center building at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. The Commission approved the preferred concept design with the following comments and delegated review of the final design to the staff.

The Commission members characterized the revised design as elegant and much improved, citing the extension of the front covered walkway to create a unified linear building set within the landscape. For the treatment of the landscape surrounding the visitor center, they recommended avoiding the appearance of foundation plantings around the building and instead drawing on the cemetery’s established landscape character of beautifully shaped islands of lush vegetation with broad lawns punctuated by larger canopy trees.

Please coordinate the final design submission with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.

Sincerely,

/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary

The Honorable Max Cleland, Secretary
American Battle Monuments Commission
2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 500
Arlington, VA  22201-3367

cc: Harry G. Robinson III, TRG Consulting Global
David Richter, Richter Architects