In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s reappointment, one of his first actions in an executive role has fueled significant controversy over the aesthetic character of U.S. federal buildings. In a memorandum entitled Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture, Trump renews a dedication to traditional, classical, and regionally derived architectural forms for government buildings—and an effort that addresses both aesthetic and national identity concerns, civic pride, and architectural uniqueness through rejuvenation.
The move continues Trump’s efforts during his first presidency, when he fought a long-standing bias towards utilitarian, brutalist buildings designed to instill feelings of alienation in citizens, not awe and wonder. By issuing a new executive order, the administration is sending a message loud and clear: U.S. federal buildings should have dignity, be easily recognizable, and represent the values and values of republican forms of governance.
For a long period, government buildings have prioritized function and budget at the expense of grandeur and symbolic meaning. By ignoring traditional and classical architectural motifs, such buildings have become indistinguishable glass monoliths and concrete monoliths with no relation to republic values at all. In contrast, such grand monuments as America’s U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and courthouses scattered about America’s interior are powerful symbols of republic values and forms of governance. With its new executive order, the administration seeks to rekindle that spirit and make its buildings sources of national wonder, not examples of architectural folly.
Critics of such a guideline maintain that architectural style must be at the discretion of the designers, arguing that imposing traditional looks restricts expression. In reality, however, such a guideline doesn’t require an unswerving devotion to traditional looks but seeks to make civic buildings clearly recognizably such and reflective of the country and community’s heritage. In an era when modern buildings lack defining features and often resemble run-of-the-mill commercial office buildings, such a guideline advocates for important values concerning community approval and cultural cohesion.
