An executive order for Classical federal Architecture

 

Donald Trump has once again issued an executive order titled Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture, sparking fresh criticism from the architectural community. The order mandates 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 visually identifiable as civic buildings and respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces.’

 

While the order only applies to federal buildings, the move has raised questions about government overreach and how this contradicts Trump’s — and the broader Republican — stance on limiting bureaucratic interference in professional industries.

 

The order continues, stating that that recommendations to the new administration must ‘consider appropriate revisions to the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture.’ These guiding principles, created by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1962, shape the vision for architecture by the federal government, noting that ‘public buildings represent the interests and aspirations of the American people,’ and ‘provide visual testimony to the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American Government.’ See the GSA’s 2022 list of the nineteen best-designed federal buildings.

trump architecture executive order
Dwight D. Eisenhower National Memorial, Washington D.C., 2020, Frank Gehry (header image © Connor Gan)

 

 

Design to flow from the Government to the architect

 

The GSA’s current guiding principles stipulate that the development of an official style of architecture must be avoided, a guideline which will be overturned by the new executive order by Donald Trump (which can be read in full here). The current principles state: ‘Design must flow from the architectural profession to the Government, and not vice versa. The Government should be willing to pay some additional cost to avoid excessive uniformity in design of Federal buildings. Competitions for the design of Federal buildings may be held where appropriate. The advice of distinguished architects ought to, as a rule, be sought prior to the award of important design contracts.’

 

Following this reinstated executive order, architects’ stylistic decisions will be dictated by the new administration, and will be restricted to traditional designs which Donald Trump deems beautiful.

trump architecture executive order
San Francisco Federal Building, California, 2007, Morphosis

 

 

stylistic regulations for designers under trump

 

This is not the first time Donald Trump has proposed this executive order. In 2020, during his first term, Trump issued a similar executive order that advocated for classical and traditional architectural styles in federal buildings — see designboom’s coverage here. The 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.’ Now reinstated, this directive requires federal government departments to submit recommendations within sixty days on how to promote classical architectural styles for federal buildings.

 

While welcomed by traditionalists, this move has sparked concern among architects and organizations like the American Institute of Architects (AIA). ‘[We are] 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,’ the institute said in a statement.

 

This order applies only to federal buildings, meaning private developers are not directly impacted. However, federal buildings are highly visible public landmarks, often occupying central spaces in urban environments. By imposing a narrow stylistic vision on these structures, the government can indirectly shape the cultural identity and architectural fabric of a city or region.

trump architecture executive order
Columbus Land Port Of Entry Columbus, New Mexico, 2022, Richter Architects

 

 

A Clash with Conservative Principles

 

One of the key criticisms surrounding 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 presidential term, Trump consistently argued against bureaucratic red tape and advocated for reducing regulations on businesses, including developers and architects. The goal was to give private professionals and communities more freedom and flexibility, especially in creative industries.

 

However, this executive order seems to represent a shift in the opposite direction by mandating a specific style for federal buildings. While Trump has been vocal about cutting down regulatory barriers, here he is creating a set of stylistic standards — not structural or safety standards — that architects of federal projects must follow. Though it doesn’t affect private developers directly, it adds layers of control over a major part of the architectural industry.

 

This top-down, Albert Speer-esque approach removes inputs from local communities and design professionals, who are more familiar with the needs and cultural context of their regions. Instead of allowing communities to shape their own environments, the order imposes an aesthetic that might not reflect local architectural heritage or preferences.

trump architecture executive order
Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, California, 2016, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

 

 

header image © Connor Gan