Republican lawmakers in Congress have revived a measure introduced by former President Donald Trump that pushes classical architecture as the preferred style for newly developed federal buildings.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida introduced legislation that encourages traditional design for all new federal buildings. While a companion bill was introduced in the House, Rubio’s legislation hasn’t been scheduled for a Senate committee vote.
The proposed Beautifying Federal Civic Architecture Act doesn’t ban modern architecture but calls for classical to be the default style. It also requires the U.S. General Services Administration, which serves as the federal government’s landlord, to submit an explanation and take additional steps if another style is selected for a project.
The move brings back the concepts of a directive that Trump issued in 2020 that federal buildings recall the designs of the White House, the U.S. Capitol and other historic properties. Trump’s order called for federal architecture to “once again inspire respect instead of bewilderment and repugnance.” President Biden overturned the order after his election.
The American Institute of Architects criticized Trump’s attempt to dictate traditional architecture in 2020 and the industry trade association rejected the latest proposal as well.
“To mandate in federal law a preferred or default architectural style would eliminate community-centered decision making, peer review, and architectural skill,” Kevin Holland, an AIA board member and a principal at HMC Architects in Los Angeles, said in a July 6 statement.
Competing Measure
The AIA said it supports a competing measure, the Democracy in Design Act, introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that would require the GSA to adhere to the existing guiding principles for federal architecture.
Several groups in the architecture world have backed a return to traditional design styles, including the National Civic Art Society. The group in 2020 promoted the results of a survey it said proved that a majority of Americans prefer traditional architecture.
Architecture schools at the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America promote traditional architecture. The Richard H. Driehaus Prize, issued yearly by Notre Dame for work in traditional styles, was awarded this year to British architect Ben Pentreath.
Traditional architecture advocates have trained their ire on Washington, D.C., since it has many modern buildings, especially those designed in the brutalist style.
L’Enfant Plaza, which opened in 1968, contains four brutalist buildings, including the U.S. Postal Service headquarters. The brutalist design of the FBI’s headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue has also triggered contempt from certain architecture critics.
Trump and anti-modern critics have also lambasted recent buildings designed in modern styles, such as the Wilkie D. Ferguson federal courthouse in Miami.