It would, for example, be directed at all federal courthouses and agency headquarters, all federal buildings in the D.C. area, and all federal buildings expected to cost “more than $50 million,” while excluding infrastructure (postmodern highway bridges and pipelines are apparently okay) and “land ports of entry” (visitors and immigrants don’t deserve a “dignified” and inspiring doorway when they come to the United States). Another provision could effectively exclude any artists, architects, designers, critics or engineers “directly affected by the construction or remodeling” of federal buildings from participating in public panels about federal design projects. The focus among professional architects is the creation of effective buildings, buildings that don’t solve every problem with hammer and nails, buildings that finesse elegant solutions to a growing list of architectural needs and necessities. Reading this proposed order will give anyone who grew up in the supercharged academic climate of the 1980s or ’90s a little PTSD — it’s that over-the-top angry about issues most people simply don’t argue about anymore. Whether these buildings would be affected, does anyone really want to pay an unknown but probably ruinous extra cost to retrofit federal buildings to look as though they were designed in 1750?

Source: Washington Post February 06, 2020 22:30 UTC