Hasta La Ideas

The American Institute of Architects has denounced an executive order signed by president Donald Trump that aims to promote classical architecture, saying it would “stifle innovation”.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) issued a press release decrying the president’s Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture executive order, which aims to make federal buildings “respect regional, traditional and classical architectural heritage”.

“AIA is extremely concerned about any revisions that remove control from local communities; mandate official federal design preferences, or otherwise hinder design freedom; and add bureaucratic hurdles for federal buildings,” said the AIA.

“We support freedom in design,” it continued. “AIA’s members believe the design of federal buildings must first be responsive to the people and communities who will use those buildings.”

Released among dozens of orders, memoranda and rescissions issued in the president’s first 24 hours in office, the Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture executive order is a resumption of a policy Trump put forward near the end of his first term.

The previous order stipulated that federal buildings should be “beautiful”, with priority given to classical and traditional styles that are “visual embodiment[s] of America’s ideals”. It was later rescinded by former president Biden.

In the recent executive order, a provision mandates agency heads come up with recommendations within 60 days to make changes to the 1962 guiding principles for federal architecture.

Strong concerns from AIA

The AIA believes that any federally issues measures to limit choice would be detrimental to regional architecture, and innovation – and that it would harm locals who directly use these buildings.

“Our federal buildings across the country must reflect America’s wealth of culture, rich traditions, and unique geographic regions,” said the AIA.

“AIA has strong concerns that mandating architecture styles stifles innovation and harms local communities.”

According to the AIA, the current General Services Administration (GSA) Design Excellence Program, which guides federal construction, should not be revised.

Doubt from preservationists

This comes at a time when the GSA has announced plans to offload underutilized federal buildings due to falling capacity, though it’s unclear how this will be affected by Trump’s other mandate requiring federal employees to return to the office full-time.

Preservationists have cast doubt on how effective the orders will be.

“The Moynihan provision that guides the General Service Administration calls for a diversity of building types across the federal government spectrum,” archival organisation USModernist founder George Smart told Dezeen.

“That’s a standard that has been used for going on 65 years or so now. It’s been very effective.”

Smart noted that the lobby group National Civic Art Society, led by architecture critic Justin Shubow, has been very vocal in pushing forward this agenda.

He conceded that there are “very practical” reasons why people could take issue with some modernist and brutalist federal buildings, citing insulation and circulation.

“However, the arguments put forth by Justin Shubo and others are about the philosophy that America should be the things that are just old,” said Smart, adding that he would be happy to see some neo-classical buildings akin to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in DC.

“I don’t think we should necessarily enact policy that says all of it should be classical.”

Shubow led the agency that guides aesthetics in Washington DC, the US Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), during Trump’s first term, and was the first person ever to be released from the position when Biden dismissed him in 2021.

The CFA is currently led by American architect Billie Tsien.

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