Wender·Vista
The Pentagon
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileUnited States
in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac from Washington

The Pentagon

— — five sides, five rings, one long working day.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“The Pentagon sits on the west bank of the Potomac, a five-sided low building of Indiana limestone and concrete that has served as the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense since 1943. It is the largest office building in the world by floor area. Around 26,000 people work inside. From the air it is plain geometry; from the ground it is mostly a long quiet wall and a memorial to those lost on September 11.

from the studio
The Pentagon
— bring it home

The Pentagon, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about The Pentagon

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

The Pentagon stands in Arlington County, Virginia, on a 583-acre site along the Potomac River, directly across from the National Mall. Designed by George Bergstrom and built in sixteen months between September 1941 and January 1943, it holds approximately 6.5 million square feet of floor space across five aboveground floors, five concentric rings, and ten radial corridors. Despite the building's size, no point inside is more than a seven-minute walk from any other. The building is owned by the U.S. Department of Defense.

— the stone

The exterior is faced in Indiana limestone over a reinforced concrete frame, with around 680,000 tons of sand and gravel dredged from the Potomac to make the concrete. The building rises only 71 feet above ground to keep sight lines from Washington unbroken. The roof was originally surfaced in slate. After the September 11 attack damaged the western facade, the rebuilt section was completed within a year, and the limestone of the new wall was cut to match the colour and dressing of the 1943 original.

— the visit

The Pentagon offers free public tours run by the Pentagon Tours office, booked in advance through the Department of Defense website. Tours last about an hour and require a government-issued ID and a security screening. The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, beside the western facade, is open without reservation, twenty-four hours a day; 184 stainless-steel benches over reflecting pools honour each person killed at the site on September 11, 2001. The Pentagon Metro station on the Blue and Yellow lines stops at the building's east entrance.

— where
United States · Arlington County, Virginia
— position
38.8719° N · 77.0563° W
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
2 km N
Arlington National Cemetery
national cemetery
3 km NE
Lincoln Memorial
memorial
at the lake
9/11 Pentagon Memorial
memorial
N
The Pentagon
Arlington National Cemetery
Lincoln Memorial
9/11 Pentagon Memorial
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about The Pentagon — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

The Pentagon stands in Arlington County, Virginia, on the west bank of the Potomac River, directly across from Washington, D.C. and the National Mall.

Construction began on September 11, 1941 and was completed on January 15, 1943. The building was designed by George Bergstrom and finished in sixteen months.

The Pentagon contains approximately 6.5 million square feet of floor space and is the largest office building in the world by floor area. Its perimeter measures roughly 0.92 miles.

The five-sided shape was chosen to fit the original site, the Arlington Farms tract, which was bounded by five roads. The shape was kept after the site moved, in part for its efficiency.

Around 26,000 military and civilian personnel work inside the Pentagon, with the building also containing concourse shops, a Metro station, and dining for staff.

Yes. Free guided tours can be booked in advance through the Department of Defense Pentagon Tours office. Visitors must present a government-issued ID and pass a security screening.

The Pentagon Memorial sits beside the western facade where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001. 184 stainless-steel benches over reflecting pools honour each person killed at the site.

— about the piece in your home

It often is. Many who have served at the Pentagon keep a piece of it nearby after retirement or reassignment. A Small or Medium with a handwritten note from the studio carries well.

Yes. The Pentagon is a meaningful landmark for many service members and their families, and the tile reads as recognition of service rather than decoration. A Medium or Large fits most home offices.

The tile's grounded greys, slate blues, and limestone tones work in Traditional, Transitional, and American Classic interiors. It also fits a study or home office without overpowering the room.

A single Large reads well above a console. Above a sofa, the 4-tile Mural or 9-tile Mural carries the wall without crowding the surrounding furniture.

Yes. Order the Dura Satin or Matte finish for installation in a bathroom or kitchen. Both are scratch-resistant and handle steam and splash without dulling.

A microfibre cloth and water. No solvents, no abrasive sponges. The colour lives in the ceramic surface and will not lift with normal cleaning.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is curated and finished by Reid Wender in our Knoxville studio. The artwork is original to the studio; nothing is licensed or sourced from stock.

— if this one stayed with you

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