Federal Modernism | RED ALERT

Here is a copy of a recent article from our friends at USModernist. There's a plan to eliminate Modernism (or any non-classical style) in Federal buildings.  The name of the plan?  Make Federal Buildings Great Again. Sadly, we are not making this up. It was first reported by Architecture Record which came out against the plan last week. 

This ridiculousness is a pending executive order that would officially designate classical architecture as the preferred style for federal courthouses, all federal public buildings in the Capital region, and all other federal public buildings in America whose cost exceeds $50 million. This order, which is expected to go to President Trump next month, defines classical to mean derived from classical Greek and Roman architecture, and specifically prohibits the use of Brutalist architecture (the FBI Headquarters is a favorite target).  Through bureaucracy it also essentially prohibits anything non-classical, which includes Modernism and even good ol' Pomo.

CityLab reports the plan would further authorize a “President’s Committee for the Re-Beautification of Federal Architecture,” which would help draft new guiding principles for federal architecture to replace common-sense rules used for decades. The committee would not only work with federal agencies to establish design polices for new projects; it would also work on renovations to existing buildings to change their look.

Would you want doctors or other healthcare professionals prohibited from serving on a medical board?  Of course not.  Citylab reports the order requires the US General Services Administration to convene public panels to provide feedback on design proposals. But no experts allowed: The order forbids “artists, architects, engineers, art or architecture critics, members of the building industry” and anyone else involved with this kind of work from participating.

The AIA's President and CEO, Jane Frederick and Robert Ivey, issued a letter in opposition.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation released a statement too, as did the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Society of Architectural Historians.  

Don't leave it to architecture groups to do all the heavy lifting.  If you want to preserve Modernism as one of many styles in federal design, the plan to eliminate design diversity and lock us in the past is a populist movement that will only be won with a better, stronger, more organized populist movement.  For a start, click here to tell President Trump this is a really bad idea.  Spoiler:  he'll write back.