President Trump may be about to leave office, but his policies on the design of federal buildings are likely to be felt for at least a few more years.
Trump signed an executive order setting a new standard for federal architecture on Dec. 21. The edict denounces modernism and promotes classical design for federal buildings.
Trump also appointed four new appointees to the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, the independent federal agency that oversees design and aesthetic decisions in Washington, D.C. All of the new commissioners are steeped in classical European sensibilities. Trump also appointed another classical architect to the National Capital Planning Commission, another Washington, D.C., oversight body.
Trump’s executive order will open federal procurement possibilities for stylistically conservative architects who might not win bids on their own merits otherwise, according to an article at Bloomberg.com. It could be a boon for the relatively small number of firms that specialize in classical design, and reduce opportunities for federal contracts for other firms, the report said.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2015
Appellate court enacts nationwide stay on controversial expansion of Clean Water Act
New EPA rule suspended until court cases settled.
Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2015
New California law means commercial building benchmarking program will be implemented
Multifamily housing to be included, a first for a U.S. state.
Codes and Standards | Oct 2, 2015
New ASHRAE guideline for commissioning existing systems and assemblies
Focuses on optimum facility and system operation.
Codes and Standards | Sep 18, 2015
New RELi standard addresses disaster resilience
Based on LEED model, may help lower insurance rates
Building Materials | Aug 28, 2015
Structural steel buildings specification available for second public review
Next year's specification open for comments until Sept. 21
Energy Efficiency | Aug 28, 2015
North American Passive House Network e-book explains Passivhaus, net-zero techniques
Free guide includes spotlight on individual projects
Windows and Doors | Aug 28, 2015
Newly formed group challenges Florida building code
Window, door companies oppose provisions that raise costs
Codes and Standards | Aug 28, 2015
New Orleans becoming a model for climate resilience only 10 years after Katrina
The city has moved ahead with resilience strategies that may become a model for other communities
Codes and Standards | Aug 21, 2015
Illinois governor vetoes bill that would restrict condo owners’ rights
Bill would have made it harder to sue for building flaws
Codes and Standards | Aug 21, 2015
Post-Katrina roofing codes creating more resilient buildings on Gulf Coast
Ten years after storm, notable progress on stronger roofs, IBHS says
