President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to make “federal architecture beautiful again.”
The order calls for federal public buildings in the U.S. to “respect regional architectural heritage.” Trump’s order also aims to prevent federal construction projects across the nation from using modernist and brutalist architecture styles and instead return to “classical” architecture.
“The Founders, in line with great societies before them, attached great importance to Federal civic architecture,” according to the order. “They wanted America’s public buildings to inspire the American people and encourage civic virtue. President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington, D.C., on the classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome.”
“Because of their proven ability to meet these requirements, classical and traditional architecture are preferred modes of architectural design,” the order states. The order also states that “major emphasis should be placed on the choice of designs that embody architectural excellence.”
In January, Trump unveiled a presidential memorandum, “promoting beautiful federal civic architecture,” which called for federal public buildings to be “visually identifiable as civic buildings and respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the U.S. and our system of self-government.”
While on the campaign trail, Trump pledged to make U.S. cities such as Washington, D.C. “safe, clean and beautiful again.” In late July, the White House announced that it will begin construction of a new state ballroom with a seating capacity of 650 people.
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