Trump Signs Memorandum Promoting Classical Design for New Federal Buildings

The president must be notified within 30 days of an approval for any new design for a federal building that diverges from the new directives.

President Donald Trump issued a memorandum on Jan. 20 directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to ensure that all new federal buildings in the United States adhere to traditional design styles.

Titled “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture,” it seeks to promote the use of traditional and classical architecture for civic buildings in order “to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States and our system of self-government.”

It directs the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA)—in consultation with the assistant to the president for domestic policy and the heads of various departments and agencies—to submit recommendations to Trump within 60 days regarding how this vision for federal buildings can be achieved.

“Such recommendations shall consider appropriate revisions to the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture and procedures for incorporating community input into Federal building design selections,” the order states.

The Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture aim to ensure that public buildings represent the interests and aspirations of the American people, according to the GSA.

According to Trump’s memorandum, the president must be notified within 30 days of the GSA’s approval of any new design for a federal public building that diverges from the new directives.

“Such notification shall set forth the reasons the Administrator proposes to approve such design,” the memorandum adds.

In 2020, during his first term as president, Trump issued an executive order recommending classical architecture as the “preferred and default architecture” for public federal government buildings in Washington.

That order linked brutalist architecture—characterized by minimalist constructions and raw concrete designs—to criticism of the designs of many modern buildings.

President Joe Biden revoked that order in February 2021.

Trump’s Jan. 20 memorandum prompted criticism from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), which bills itself as the largest design organization in the world.

In a statement, the organization said it is “extremely concerned” about any revisions to the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture 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 it supports the GSA’s Guiding Principles and is concerned that the memorandum could stifle innovation and harm local communities.

“AIA’s members believe the design of federal buildings must first be responsive to the people and communities who will use those buildings,” the institute said. “Our federal buildings across the country must reflect America’s wealth of culture, rich traditions, and unique geographic regions.”

The organization said its more than 100,000 members, made up of licensed and practicing architects, will provide feedback about federal building design selections under the new order.

“AIA is actively reviewing the White House’s executive orders and will keep you apprised as we prioritize the interests of the profession and our impact on society,” the organization said.