https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/14466-will-the-white-house-order-new-federal-architecture-to-be-classicalhttps://twitter.com/ArchRecord/status/1225087055161708547Arch Record Magazine claims to have received a draft copy of a proposed executive order by the Trump administration, still in the infancy of development, that would mandate a classical architectural style for new federal buildings. Tentatively titled "Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again", it reads "“the classical architectural style shall be the preferred and default style”. Abandoning the functional-modernismthat Trump was known for as a real estate developer- even known for harsh treatment of classical properties he revamped- this fully embraces greek neoclassicalism again as the founding fathers did. It appears that this draft order was mostly the work of Justin Shubow, president of the National Civic Art Society, who is hostile to contemporary architecture which he regards as an aesthetic failure, the order echoing his organization's lobbying efforts. Which of course, in this context, is just a tussle over artistic style, with no money on the line. The AIA, American Institute of Architects, known for constructing the absurdist monstrosities that make engineers everywhere cringe, issued a statement denouncing any push for uniformity in architecture and called for greater diversity of styles. The White House, which cannot possibly be arsed with shit this inconsequential, was not available for comment when The Guardian asked.
The Supreme Court, an example of classical architecture, designed by Cass Gilbert and his son Cass Gilbert Jr;
The three federal buildings specifically criticized in the draft order, described as "having little aesthetic appeal"
The U.S. Federal Building in San Francisco (2007, by Morphosis), the U.S. Courthouse in Austin, Texas (2012, by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects), and the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami (2007, by Arquitectonica);
