The Non-Fascist Case for Classical Architecture

Fede ral design guidelines for government buildings aren’t normally front-page news. But a draft executive order that aims to rewrite the rules for federal buildings is attracting widespread attention in architectural circles and outside them. (On these pages, Kate Wagner has already offered a well-stated case against the order.) If enacted, it would abandon the open-minded and diverse approach that has shaped federal courthouses and complexes for the past 50 years. Classical elements that draw upon Greek and Roman sources would become the default style instead.

I confess to no small amount of affection for classical designs, which makes Washington, D.C., a particularly nice place for me to live. I’ll take the gleaming edifice of the Supreme Court building over the sterile harshness of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, which houses the Department of Health and Human Services, any day of the week. That affinity is exactly why the order strikes me as a mistake—and why anyone else who appreciates those influences on American civic architecture should also oppose it. Read Full Article »