The warrant did not explicitly define what standards buildings must meet in order to be considered beautiful, and said that new federal buildings must have a classic design, but did not require that style. The order defines classical architecture as’ the architectural tradition derived from the forms, principles and vocabulary of the architecture of Greek and Roman antiquity ‘and which includes’ such styles as neoclassical, Georgian, federal, Greek revival, fine arts and art. Deco. ”
It applies to all federal courthouses, agency headquarters, public buildings in DC, and all other public buildings costing more than $ 50 million.
Arguing that some of the Founding Fathers “attached great importance to federal civic architecture, the order deplores how in the 1950s and 1960s” the federal government largely replaced traditional new construction designs with modernist designs. ”
“The federal architecture that followed, overseen by the General Services Administration (GSA), was often unpopular with Americans,” the order said. “The new buildings ranged from low profile to design, even GSA now admits that many in the audience found this unattractive.”
The executive order also creates the President’s Council on Improving Federal Civic Architecture. The board is charged with submitting a report to the GSA administrator with recommendations for updates to GSA policies and procedures to include the new architecture guidelines.
“Communities should have the right and responsibility to decide for themselves which architectural design best suits their needs, and we look forward to working with President-elect Biden to ensure that,” said Robert Ivy, CEO from the group. “While we are dismayed at the government’s decision to move forward with the draft mandate, we are pleased that the order is not reaching as far as previously thought.”
“The development of an official style should be avoided. Design should flow from the architectural profession to the government,” Moynihan wrote at the time, “and not the other way around.”
Trump’s order scoffed at the established protocol – which aims to “give a visual witness to the dignity, entrepreneurship, strength and stability of the US government” – and states that it “has not achieved this goal.”
Trump has disclosed strong opinions in the past about official buildings that he may or may not consider stylish.
“The cheap 30 cm² marble tiles behind the speaker at the UN always bothered me,” he tweeted in 2012. “I will replace them with beautiful large marble slabs if they ask me to.”
CNN’s Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.