Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

McKissack led the design-build team for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in West Potomac Park, near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The memorial incorporates natural elements such as stone, water, and trees to emphasize themes of democracy, justice, hope, and love. At the main entry, two stones are parted with a single stone pushed forward, resembling the missing piece of a previously unified boulder. The inspiration for the memorial design comes from a line in King’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” As the Architect of Record, McKissack managed the entire project, which included architecture, landscape architecture, geotechnical engineering, stormwater management and sediment control, roadway realignment, and presentations to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, National Capital Planning Commission, and National Park Service. Additionally, the team conducted subsurface investigation and hazardous materials testing. As the Construction Managers, McKissack oversaw the daily construction activities, navigated the project through Federal agency approvals, coordinated the design with the construction team, and developed and managed the project controls to ensure timely and budget-friendly delivery. Additionally, we coordinated the transportation and safe delivery of over 150 stones, including the Mountain of Despair and the Stone of Hope, which were deconstructed in China, transported, and assembled at the memorial site.