An Executive Order for Classical Federal Architecture
donald trump has once again issued an executive order titled Promoting beautiful federal civic architectureWhich sparked fresh criticism from the architectural community. The order states that federal buildings adopt classical styles, especially Neoclassicism, while discouraging modernist or other contemporary designs. Specifically, the order states that ‘Federal public buildings should be recognized as civic buildings and should respect regional, traditional and classical architectural heritage for upliftment and beautification of public spaces.’
While the order applies only to federal buildings, the move has raised questions about government overreach and runs contrary to Trump’s — and broader Republican — stance of limiting bureaucratic interference in professional industries.
The order continues, stating that the new administration’s recommendations should ‘consider appropriate amendments to the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture.’ in guiding principlesCreated by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1962, it shapes the view of architecture by the federal government, noting that ‘public buildings represent the interests and aspirations of the American people,’ and ‘be visible of dignity, enterprise. ‘provides testimony to the strength and stability of the American government.’ View GSA’s 2022 List Among the nineteen best-designed federal buildings.
Dwight D. Eisenhower National MemorialWashington DC, 2020, frank gehry (Header image © Connor Gan,
designed to flow from to the government architect
GSA’s current guiding principles dictate that the development of an official style of architecture should be avoided, a guideline that will be overturned by Donald Trump’s new executive order (which can be read in full). HereCurrent principles say: ‘Design should flow from the architectural profession to government, not the other way around. The government should be prepared to pay some additional costs to avoid excessive uniformity in the design of federal buildings. Where appropriate, competitions may be held for the design of federal buildings. As a rule, the advice of reputable architects should be sought before awarding important design contracts.’
Following this reinstated executive order, stylistic decisions by architects will be dictated by the new administration, and will be limited to traditional designs that Donald Trump considers beautiful.
San Francisco Federal BuildingCalifornia, 2007, Morphosis
Stylistic rules for designers under Trump
This is not the first time that Donald Trump has proposed this executive order. In 2020, during his first term, Trump issued a similar executive order that advocated classical and traditional architectural styles in federal buildings – see Designboom’s coverage HereThe order, which was later repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021, argued that classical architecture better reflects civic spaces and can help ‘uplift and beautify public spaces’. This now reinstated directive requires federal government departments to submit recommendations within sixty days on how to promote classical architectural styles for federal buildings.
Although the move has been welcomed by conservatives, it has raised concerns among architects and organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA). ,(We are) extremely concerned about any amendments that remove control from local communities; Mandate official federal design preferences, or otherwise hinder design freedom; And add bureaucratic hurdles to federal buildings,’ the institute said in a statement.
The order applies only to federal buildings, meaning private developers are not directly affected. However, federal buildings are highly visible public spaces, often occupying a central location in urban environments. By imposing a narrow stylistic vision on these structures, the government can indirectly shape the cultural identity and architectural makeup of a city or region.
Columbus Land Port of Entry ColumbusNew Mexico, 2022, Richter Architects
Conflict with conservative principles
One of the major criticisms of Trump’s executive order is its apparent contradiction with the conservative and libertarian values often promoted by Trump and other Republicans – namely, limiting government intervention. Throughout his career and first presidency, Trump consistently argued against bureaucratic red tape and advocated reducing regulations on businesses, including developers and architects. The goal was to give greater freedom and flexibility to private professionals and communities, especially in the creative industries.
However, this executive order appears to represent a change in the opposite direction by mandating a specific style for federal buildings. While Trump has been vocal about reducing regulatory hurdles, here he is creating a set of stylistic standards — not structural or safety standards — that architects of federal projects must follow. Although this does not directly affect private developers, it adds layers of control over a large portion of the architectural industry.
This top-down approach removes input from local communities and design professionals, who are more familiar with the needs and cultural context of their areas. Rather than allowing communities to shape their own environments, the order imposes an aesthetic that may not reflect local architectural heritage or preferences.
Los Angeles Federal CourtCalifornia, 2016, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
header image © Connor Gan
