Trump order: New federal buildings must be 'beautiful'

[durangodawood]

Personally I think the neo classical style is garbage in todays context. But tastes vary. Either way, I do find an order decreeing an official architectural style to emit vaguely.... fascist aroma.

US President Donald Trump has issued an order that future federal buildings across the country must be "beautiful", and preferably built in a classical Greek, Roman, or similar style.

The executive order says too many federal buildings reflect "brutalist" designs of the last century.

It says new government buildings should look more like America's "beloved" landmarks such as the White House.

BBC article:
Trump order: New federal buildings must be 'beautiful'

 

[Albion]

Personally I think the neo classical style is garbage in todays context. But tastes vary. Either way, I do find an order decreeing an official architectural style to emit vaguely.... fascist aroma.

I'm not surprised. According to some people, anything that a Conservative, Moderate, or Republican (or any combination of the above) might do can be described as fascistic--and routinely is. That charge is recognized as a deflection tactic.

After all, it's not the people I've referred to above who are burning cities, trashing public property, condemning our Constitution, and attacking religion while wearing their blackshirt uniforms.

 

[Halbhh]

Maybe Trump could return to what seems more to be fitting his experience and talents: to develop 'beautiful' or 'great' or 'etc' buildings/properties/developments, as before.

A president ought to be more about bringing the nation together.

The swing voters chose as much or more on that than on anything else, in my estimation. The many new voters and many swing voters, who showed up because of Trump -- more of them than not in order to replace him.

And many even voted for republicans on their ballots except for Trump, because they wanted someone to help bring the nation together better, but like republicans otherwise.

 

[Albion]

A president ought to be more about bringing the nation together.

Based upon the fawning response of Biden's supporters to mere promises of unity which their guy never had any intention of acting upon, the former Vice-President is 'sitting pretty' when it comes to this particular issue.

 

[durangodawood]

I'm not surprised. According to some people, anything that a Conservative, Moderate, or Republican (or any combination of the above) might do can be described as fascistic--and routinely is. That charge is recognized as a deflection tactic.

After all, it's not the people I've referred to above who are burning cities, trashing public property, condemning our Constitution, and attacking religion while wearing their blackshirt uniforms.

Have any comments on the content of the architectural style restrictions, or just the idea of having those restrictions at all?

 

[Albion]

Have any comments on the content of the architectural style restrictions, or just the idea of having those restrictions at all?

Doesn't seem worth an argument, but go ahead if you must.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Have any comments on the content of the architectural style restrictions, or just the idea of having those restrictions at all?

It seems mostly pointless, and frankly unnecessary. (It can be reversed with the stroke of a pen.)

I find it odd that within the styles referred to as "classical architecture" are things like Art Deco. As far as I know, all of the Art Deco federal architecture is contemporary to the Art Deco period. This seems to be the same for most of the other "acceptable" styles with the exception of Neoclassical. Neoclassical was popular in the early days of the building of Washington and has been (over) used in DC and other Federal construction ever since. Personally I find architectural uniformity to be dull.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I don't know why he's wasting an order on something that's purely a subjective opinion.

 

[Albion]

I don't know why he's wasting an order on something that's purely a subjective opinion.

Is there a limit on the number of such orders?

 

[tampasteve]

Is there a limit on the number of such orders?

It's 2,683.

But I happen to agree with this one anyways.

 

[durangodawood]

Doesn't seem worth an argument, but go ahead if you must.

Well it was worth a rant, apparently.

 

[durangodawood]

Maybe Trump could return to what seems more to be fitting his experience and talents: to develop 'beautiful' or 'great' or 'etc' buildings/properties/developments, as before....

Personally I find his developments in awful taste, and that not a knee jerk orange-man-bad opinion either.

They just blast his super cheezy gold-plated rococo taste at you. Yuck.

 

[MIDutch]

I'm not surprised. According to some people, anything that a Conservative, Moderate, or Republican (or any combination of the above) might do can be described as fascistic--and routinely is. That charge is recognized as a deflection tactic.

Why in heaven's name is trump concerning himself with what future government buildings looks like?

Doesn't he have anything better to do?

Like trying to save US citizens from the COVID-19 pandemic?

Or protecting US cyber infrastructure against Russian hacks?

Or getting his legal defense teams together to prepare for the looming tax/bank/wire fraud indictments and the rape trials?

Or getting his airplane tickets purchased for when he flees the country?

 

[durangodawood]

It seems mostly pointless, and frankly unnecessary. (It can be reversed with the stroke of a pen.)

I find it odd that within the styles referred to as "classical architecture" are things like Art Deco. As far as I know, all of the Art Deco federal architecture is contemporary to the Art Deco period. This seems to be the same for most of the other "acceptable" styles with the exception of Neoclassical. Neoclassical was popular in the early days of the building of Washington and has been (over) used in DC and other Federal construction ever since. Personally I find architectural uniformity to be dull.

Yes uniformity of style is dull, and a uniformly backward looking style is even duller.

Personally I find our neoclassical govt buildings pretty ho hum, and its a style we should leave behind. I find some of the art deco design more interesting, especially when the design flows into smaller details and incorporates public art like the great "socialist" murals of the 30's. At least those are engaging even if I disagree with some of the politics behind them.

 

[durangodawood]

Why in heaven's name is trump concerning himself with what future government buildings looks like?

Doesn't he have anything better to do?

Like trying to save US citizens from the COVID-19 pandemic?

Or protecting US cyber infrastructure against Russian hacks?

Or getting his legal defense teams together to prepare for the looming tax/bank/wire fraud indictments and the rape trials?

Or getting his airplane tickets purchased for when he flees the country?

Totally. Its just weird. Its like a tiny little "Make America Great Again" whimper.

 

[d taylor]

Personally I think the neo classical style is garbage in todays context. But tastes vary. Either way, I do find an order decreeing an official architectural style to emit vaguely.... fascist aroma.

BBC article:
Trump order: New federal buildings must be 'beautiful'

I would agree there are quite a few 1970's and up ulgy government buildings that have been built. At least in my area.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

The executive order says too many federal buildings reflect "brutalist" designs of the last century.

Am I the only person who actually likes brutalism as an architectural style?

 

[Hans Blaster]

Am I the only person who actually likes brutalism as an architectural style?

I like some of it. Like a lot of styles it can be done badly. I've actually seen a lot of Brutalist buildings since the announcement. (Boston City Hall looks pretty bad.) The one building that is *really* triggering Donald is the FBI Building, a Brutalist structure I rather like. The biggest problems with Brutalism is that many of the buildings are hard to maintain or keep internally up-to-date with new space needs.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

.... fascist aroma.

It may have that aroma due to the fact that it's typically "those" kinds of leaders have been the ones who've talked about architecture in that vernacular over the years.

But it seems to be a sentiment that everyone holds, people just word it differently.

If it were a politician saying "this high school in this city is outdated, these kids deserve to go to a school that's modern and updated in the richest country in the world", most wouldn't think a thing of it.


Of all the crazy things he's doing right now (like meeting with house reps sympathetic to his last ditch effort to get them to reject the electoral college's certifications...and it sounds like he's even turning on Pence based on something he saw in an ad: Trump turns on Pence as Lincoln Project ad ‘gets in his head’, report says

...I'd think his architectural preferences, ranked on the list of "Things that concern me about Trump's current actions" ranks somewhere below "is he adding too much salt to his French Fries"

 

[Rachel20]

BBC article:
Trump order: New federal buildings must be 'beautiful'

I remember on the campaign trail he was talking about how America looks like a third world nation compared to other countries he's travelled. So this isn't a new pet peeve with him. He said our international airports are specially out-dated and he's right.