Classicism by Decree
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articles did not appear to be fake news, so I Classicism followed a digital trail to the document itself, finding itsPDF version embedded in a by Decree piece by the Chicago Sun-Times. I quote the opening section, “Findings” in full: Section 1. Findings. The Founding Fathers Julia Friedman attached great importance to Federal architecture. President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington, D.C. on the classical architecture of democratic Athens and republican Rome. They wanted t is no secret that the truMp America’s public buildings to physically administration doesn’t subscribe to the symbolize our then-new nation’s self- idea of federal funding for arts and governing ideals. Washington and Jefferson, Ihumanities. Its 2019 proposed “Budget for both amateur architects, personally oversaw the competitions to design the America’s Future,” once again, placed the Capitol Building and the White House. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the For more than a century and a half America’s Humanities (NEH) in a section on “wasteful Federal architecture produced beautiful and and unnecessary funding.” But just as the arts beloved buildings. Typically, though not and humanities are declared inessential, the exclusively, classical in design, buildings such White House made it a public priority to turn as the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme court, the Eisenhower Executive the architectural clock back, drafting an Office Building, the Treasury Department, executive order titled “Making Federal and the Lincoln Memorial have become Buildings Beautiful Again.” For an international symbols of democratic self- administration well versed in the optics of government. These universally cherished success, such manifested awareness of landmarks, built to endure for centuries, have architecture’s symbolic and ideological become an important part of our civic life. significance to any long-term political project In the 1950s the Federal government largely makes perfect sense. Their 2019 Independence abandoned traditional, classical designs, and Day extravaganza in Washington, d.c. began adopting mid-century modernism, (repeated, albeit on a slightly reduced scale including Brutalism, for Federal buildings. against the background of the Covid-19 This trend accelerated after the Ad Hoc pandemic in 2020) was just one recent example Committee on Federal Office Space issued of splurging on pageantry, and their timing what has become known as the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture in 1962. of the executive order in the run-up to the The Guiding Principles implicitly discouraged 2020 elections indicates the sociopolitical classical and other designs known for their urgency of the outlined changes. beauty, and declared that design must flow I first learned about the executive order from the architectural profession’s reigning from architecture-themed publications on orthodoxy to the Federal government. my social media feed in early February— both Dwell and Architectural Record ran The Federal architecture that ensued, overseen by the General Services articles about the pending order that would Administration (GSA), ranged from the mandate a “classical architectural style” for undistinguished to designs that public widely all federal buildings. Given the sources, the considered uninspiring, inconsistent with 148 Athenaeum Review_Issue 5_FINAL_11.04.2020.indd 148 11/6/20 1:24 PM their surroundings and the architectural experimentation with new, alternative styles. heritage of the region, and even just plain However, care must be taken to fully ensure ugly. Structures such as the Hubert H. that such alternative designs command Humphrey Department of Health and respect by the public for their beauty and Human Services Building, the Frances Perkins visual embodiment of America’s ideals. Department of Labor Building, and the Robert C. Weaver Department of Housing In response to the draft of the executive and Urban Development Building inspired order, the GSA’s Chief Architect and public derision instead of admiration. In 1994, Director of the Design Excellence Program, having recognized the aesthetic failures, David Insinga, resigned, and the American including ugliness, of the buildings it was Institute of Architects ( aia) posted a commissioning, the GSA established the statement, condemning the overhaul of Design Excellence Program in order to adhere to the Guiding Principles’ mandate that the 1962 Guiding Principles, with its Federal architecture “must provide visual top-bottom direction of architectural styles, testimony to the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and warning that the mandated changes and stability of the American Government.” could jeopardize fundamental democratic principles: Unfortunately, the Design Excellence Program has not reintegrated our national The AIA strongly opposes uniform style values into Federal buildings, which under mandates for federal architecture. the Program have often been works of, or Architecture should be designed for the have been influenced by, Brutalism and specific communities that it serves, Deconstructivism. For example, the new reflecting our rich nation’s diverse places, San Francisco Federal Building, Austin U.S. thought, culture and climates. Architects Courthouse, and the Wilkie D. Ferguson, are committed to honoring our past as Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami have little well as reflecting our future progress, aesthetic appeal. With a limited number of protecting the freedom of thought and exceptions, such as the Tuscaloosa Federal expression that are essential to democracy. Building and U.S. Courthouse, the Federal government has largely stopped building To understand the reasons for AIA’s concern, beautiful buildings that the American people one only has to visit the u .s. General Services want to look at or work in. Surveys show that the public prefers buildings that predate Administration (GSA) website. It introduces the Guiding Principles to those built under the 1962 Guiding Principles for Federal them. [Footnote with three citations for Architecture with a two-fold requirement the same AIA Favorite Architecture list.] of practicality and symbolism in all federal buildings as “efficient and economical After 57 years it is time to update the Guiding facilities for use of Government agencies,” Principles to Make Federal buildings beautiful that “must provide visual testimony to the again. Federal architecture should once again inspire respect instead of bewilderment or dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the repugnance. New Federal building designs American Government.” The first section of should, like America’s beloved landmark the three-point architectural policy that buildings, inspire the public for their follows, is mostly concerned with the quality aesthetics, make Americans feel proud of our and economy of construction, but it also public buildings, and, where appropriate, states that “major emphasis should be placed respect the architectural heritage of the region. Classical and traditional on the choice of designs that embody the architectural styles have proven their finest contemporary American architectural ability to inspire such respect for our system thought.” (Presumably “contemporary” is of self-government. Their use should be what the executive order refers to when it encouraged. This preference does not exclude says that the original Guiding Principles Current Affairs 149 Athenaeum Review_Issue 5_FINAL_11.04.2020.indd 149 11/6/20 1:24 PM “implicitly discouraged classical and other through the fallacy of equating “classical designs known for their beauty.”) The second architectural style” with beauty, then section is even more unequivocal in regard to rhetorically topples this straw opponent, to the dangers of government mandated arrive at a staggeringly disingenuous and aesthetics: “The development of an official unfounded claim of acting on the part of the style must be avoided. Design must flow from American people who are sick and tired of the architectural profession to the looking at, and working in, modernist and Government. [sic] and not vice versa.” post-modernist federal buildings. The order’s Instead of mandating or even favoring a central assertion—that modernist and single architectural style, GSA defined the post-modernist architecture “ranged from the parameters to maximize innovation while undistinguished to designs the public widely guaranteeing quality and longevity of considered uninspiring, inconsistent with construction. The notion of originality was their surroundings and the architectural key to the Guiding Principles. Its preface even heritage of the region, and even just plain quotes President Kennedy’s January 9, 1961 ugly”—is supported by informal polls address to the Massachusetts legislature in conducted by The American Institute of which he evoked Pericles’ words to the Architects (AIA) and Harris Interactive. Athenians: “We do not imitate—for we are a (That is the same AIA that promptly put out model to others,” establishing the goal of not a statement condemning the drafted only maintaining the canon, but adding to it. executive order on the grounds that “freedom In the “Design Excellence Overview” of thought and expression […] are essential section of the site, the GSA specifically to democracy.”) These informal polls are mentions “rigorous assessment processes to footnoted in the Findings section with three