US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday with the aim to ensure federal buildings display "beautiful" architecture. He found classical architecture to be more favorable than modernist designs.
'Beautiful Federal Buildings'
Trump's executive order did not denote the standards for buildings to be considered beautiful, indicating that new federal buildings should be of classical design but not commanding that style.
The designs of federal buildings were necessitated for classical "and other traditional architecture" to be the standard style for new structures in Washington, DC, and promote "beautiful" exteriors for federal sites throughout the United States. It takes particular aim at Deconstructivism and Brutalism, claiming that buildings in such styles have lured criticism.
The president has a preference for the Greco-Roman classical style.
The order stopped short of an earlier draft that ignited the ire of a number of architects in aiming to prohibit construction not done in the neo-classical style, epitomized by the Capitol, White House, and Lincoln Memorial in Washington.
The long-awaited executive order has criticized architectural modernism but stopped short of allowing all such projects to be in the classical style.
According to Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Goldberger, the commission was mainly symbolic and just luck for the president to throw another grenade out of the door, reported Ex Bulletin.
The executive order indicates, "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," reported Anthea Missy.
The document lauds ancient Greek and Roman buildings as "sturdy and useful," denouncing federal buildings' modern designs commissioned by the General Services Administration.
The order is entitled "Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture," which will significantly situate federal architecture in a traditional direction.
In response, according to Justin Shubow, president of the National Civic Art Society (NCAS) in a statement, "Americans have long understood that classical architecture is not only beautiful, it embodies the key values of our representative government. Such distinguished and inspiring buildings connect us to our heritage, and are associated with the continuity, equality, and openness essential to a functioning republic. The design of federal buildings should reflect the aesthetic and symbolic preferences of the people they are built to serve - namely, classical and traditional architecture. Yet since the mid-20th century, Modernist mandarins controlling government architecture have been forcing ugly designs upon us." He added on Friday that Trump stood unwavering for tradition and beauty in public architecture, and for the emotional desires of the American citizens, reported the National Civic Art Society.
Donald Trump denounced "modernist" government buildings, indicated they appealed mainly to the "architectural elite."
Its goal over two years would be to acknowledge more classical building designs and to decry "brutalist" designs.
The order did not explicitly indicate the requirements buildings should meet to be thought of lovely. It defines classical structure as the architectural tradition depicted from the principles, forms, and vocabulary of the architecture of Greek and Roman antiquity architecture.
Related Article : Suspected Russian Hack Against the US, Larger Than Expected
