Imposing a National Style – DANIELLA ON DESIGN

The controversy of the week: Federal design guidelines for government buildings made the front-page news. A draft of a new Executive Order, which is meant to be handed to President Trump in the next month or so demands that “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again.” This Order, which comes to impose style, referring to many civic and federal buildings of the past, which were built according to the monumental, neoclassical order, has immediately fueled opposition from a variety of architecture institutions. While the effort to encourage new construction of federal buildings that embrace architectural excellence is highly encouraged, ruling an official style, is not. In fact, it can only reminds us of past regimes that demanded conservative architecture over experimentation in expressing their political identity, not to mention those by name.

This document announces that the classical style in architecture is the “preferred and default style” by the Administration. It also specifies that buildings to be designed this way include of all federal courthouses and agency headquarters, all federal public buildings in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area, and all federal public buildings that their construction cost more than $50 mm. The Order would apply to the design of all new buildings, as well as to renovations and expansions of existing buildings.

That ridiculous document, I read, was drafted by the National Civic Art Society, a conservative nonprofit organization that promotes classical architecture. Its mission, as stated in its website is to carry ‘essential work in restoring republican dignity and democratic purpose to public architecture and design in America.’ The Order continues to state that civic buildings constructed since 1962 are ‘undistinguished… uninspiring … and even just plain ugly.’ Hard to believe that we are in 2020.