Trump seeks to leave mark on Washington architecture Last Updated: Dec. 22, 2020 at 9:13 a.m. ET First Published: Dec. 21, 2020 at 7:57 p.m. ET By Latest executive order’s message to federal architects: Modern is out. ‘Beautiful’ is in.
Not all of official Washington NASA headquarters, for example is constructed of lavishly detailed marble or granite fashioned after the architectural styles of ancient Athens and Rome. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images Email icon Resize icon
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday decreeing that only classical styles be employed in the architecture of federal buildings in the nation’s capital.
“New Federal building designs should, like America’s beloved landmark buildings, uplift and beautify public spaces, inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States, command respect from the general public, and, as appropriate, respect the architectural heritage of a region,” the e
Trump Signs Executive Order Promoting Classical Architecture for Federal Buildings
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 21 that recommends classical architecture as the “preferred and default architecture” for public federal government buildings in Washington.
The order criticizes what’s become known as the “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which largely replaced traditional designs with modernist ones in the 1950s. The policy “implicitly discouraged classical and other traditional designs known for their beauty,” instead pushing for so-called “contemporary” designs.
The order makes mention of the “brutalist” style of architecture characterized by huge block-like structures with geometric designs and large-scale use of exposed poured concrete as being the cause of widespread criticism for the design of many modern buildings.