The Freedom Forum in Arlington, Virginia features a 67′ diameter structure that encloses a 220-seat dome theater. The dome is a trapezoidal geometry and has drop-in plywood panels to meet the acoustical and theatrical needs of the theater.
The dome is the major signature structure of this museum, tilted at an angle; the dome overhangs the concrete ring wall over the entranceway. The Freedom Forum is a non-profit organization founded by Frank Gannett in 1935 and is funded by assets of $725 million. The objective of the museum is to explain the role of journalism in history and how it affects history today.
The exhibits of the new facility are one of the most extensive global communications systems in the world with displays showing live coverage both from the T.V. and newspapers worldwide. The Gannett Company is the publisher of U.S.A. Today.
Client: The Freedom Forum, Arlington, VA
Architect: Tom Bantel, AIA Architect, Arlington, VA
Engineer: K.C.E. Engineers, Washington, DC
