Corbett planned a three-story memorial temple topped by a three-story tower.
 The first three floors (which constituted the temple and the base of the tower) would be built in the Neoclassical style, while the tower would be a variation on the setbacks popular in Modern architecture.
The structure was to be built entirely of masonry, with almost no metal used in its construction (except for reinforcing rods in the concrete).
The rationale for this decision was that a building constructed purely of stone would be the most permanent structure possible.
The firm of Osgood & Osgood of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the consulting engineer.
Daniel E. Moran (of the firm Moran, Maurice & Proctor of New York) designed the building's foundation; Gunvald Aus was the structural engineer; the firm of Clarke, McMullen & Riley (of New York) was the mechanical engineer; and Carl Rust Parker of Olmsted Brothers was the landscape architect.
The general contractor was the Percy Cranford Co., but the actual masonry work was done by the Samuel Miller Co. (both companies were located in Washington, D.C.).

Corbett's initial design was for a memorial about 200 feet (61 m) high.
Corbett drew his inspiration from the restoration of the lighthouse at the port of Ostia Antica near Rome.
The first floor was occupied by a main hall with a colonnade on either side and clerestory windows, at the back of which a large statue of Washington would reside.
Historic murals would be painted on the walls.
To the right and left of the main hall would be large meeting rooms (one for the use of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge and one for use by other Masonic bodies).
To the left of the main hall there would also be a small room which would contain a replica of the original Masonic lodge room in which Washington himself had presided.

Additional details and apparent design changes were revealed in July 1922.
 Although the building was still just 200 feet (61 m) in height, the press now reported that the building would be built specifically in the Greek and Romanesque Revival styles and be constructed of white marble and white concrete.
The atrium of the building (as the first floor main hall was now called) was now slated to contain space along the walls which could be used by Grand Lodges to memorialize their prominent members, while the rooms around the atrium would be dedicated to the various Masonic "appendant bodies" (jurisdictional bodies, social groups, youth and women's organizations, etc.).
The plan called for the second floor to be used as an art gallery as well as a museum, and for the museum to not only honor Washington but also other famous Masons from Virginia.
The memorial was still intended to house Washingtoniana and contain a replica of the original Alexandria-Washington Lodge's meeting room.

A major revision to the memorial plans was made in February 1923.
The GWMNMA approved constructing the building entirely of granite (rather than marble and concrete), a change which increased the cost of the structure to $3 million.
Including landscaping and the endowment, the total cost of the structure had risen to $4 million.

These plans were revised and elaborated on again by April 1923.
Now the memorial was to stand 330 feet (100 m) high.
The atrium on the first floor was specified to be 45 feet (14 m) wide by 80 feet (24 m) deep.
With the clerestory windows, this hall would be 60 feet (18 m) in height.
Meeting rooms would still surround the atrium.
The second story, now 45 by 60 feet (14 by 18 m) in size with a high ceiling and extensive windows (to let in large amounts of natural light), was still slated to house the Washington museum.
The purpose of the third floor was not yet agreed upon.
The tower above the third floor now contained an observation deck forming a seventh and ultimate floor at the top of the tower.
The new plans specified that terraces would lead from the front steps of the memorial down to the street below.
The cost, however, was still budgeted for $4 million.

The final major change in the memorial came in early 1924.
 The height of th
Corbett planned a three-story memorial temple topped by a three-story tower.  The first three floors (which constituted the temple and the base of the tower) would be built in the Neoclassical style, while the tower would be a variation on the setbacks popular in Modern architecture. The structure was to be built entirely of masonry, with almost no metal used in its construction (except for reinforcing rods in the concrete). The rationale for this decision was that a building constructed purely of stone would be the most permanent structure possible. The firm of Osgood & Osgood of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the consulting engineer. Daniel E. Moran (of the firm Moran, Maurice & Proctor of New York) designed the building's foundation; Gunvald Aus was the structural engineer; the firm of Clarke, McMullen & Riley (of New York) was the mechanical engineer; and Carl Rust Parker of Olmsted Brothers was the landscape architect. The general contractor was the Percy Cranford Co., but the actual masonry work was done by the Samuel Miller Co. (both companies were located in Washington, D.C.).
Corbett's initial design was for a memorial about 200 feet (61 m) high. Corbett drew his inspiration from the restoration of the lighthouse at the port of Ostia Antica near Rome. The first floor was occupied by a main hall with a colonnade on either side and clerestory windows, at the back of which a large statue of Washington would reside. Historic murals would be painted on the walls. To the right and left of the main hall would be large meeting rooms (one for the use of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge and one for use by other Masonic bodies). To the left of the main hall there would also be a small room which would contain a replica of the original Masonic lodge room in which Washington himself had presided.
Additional details and apparent design changes were revealed in July 1922.  Although the building was still just 200 feet (61 m) in height, the press now reported that the building would be built specifically in the Greek and Romanesque Revival styles and be constructed of white marble and white concrete. The atrium of the building (as the first floor main hall was now called) was now slated to contain space along the walls which could be used by Grand Lodges to memorialize their prominent members, while the rooms around the atrium would be dedicated to the various Masonic "appendant bodies" (jurisdictional bodies, social groups, youth and women's organizations, etc.). The plan called for the second floor to be used as an art gallery as well as a museum, and for the museum to not only honor Washington but also other famous Masons from Virginia. The memorial was still intended to house Washingtoniana and contain a replica of the original Alexandria-Washington Lodge's meeting room.
A major revision to the memorial plans was made in February 1923. The GWMNMA approved constructing the building entirely of granite (rather than marble and concrete), a change which increased the cost of the structure to $3 million. Including landscaping and the endowment, the total cost of the structure had risen to $4 million.
These plans were revised and elaborated on again by April 1923. Now the memorial was to stand 330 feet (100 m) high. The atrium on the first floor was specified to be 45 feet (14 m) wide by 80 feet (24 m) deep. With the clerestory windows, this hall would be 60 feet (18 m) in height. Meeting rooms would still surround the atrium. The second story, now 45 by 60 feet (14 by 18 m) in size with a high ceiling and extensive windows (to let in large amounts of natural light), was still slated to house the Washington museum. The purpose of the third floor was not yet agreed upon. The tower above the third floor now contained an observation deck forming a seventh and ultimate floor at the top of the tower. The new plans specified that terraces would lead from the front steps of the memorial down to the street below. The cost, however, was still budgeted for $4 million.
The final major change in the memorial came in early 1924.  The height of th
George Washington Masonic National Memorial