Trump Signs Order Mandating 'Beautiful' New Federal Architecture

[sabra]

Source: Bloomberg

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday making classical architecture the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington, a White House official said Monday.

The presidential action stops short of mandating that all new federal buildings are built in a classical style, saying merely that they must be “beautiful.”

Under the order, a “Council for Improving Federal Civic Architecture” will be formed to recommenced updates to the General Services Administration’s architectural guidelines.

The administration has been writing the executive order for months, and an early draft that would have banned modernist design prompted condemnation from the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-21/trump-signs-order-mandating-beautiful-new-federal-architecture

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[secondwind]

1. He really thinks we will pay attention to this crap??!!??

[The Blue Flower]

2. Too bad Albert Speer isn't with us

soulless nazi architecture wasn't a lasting look

[trusty elf]

8. ...

[C Moon]

35. Trump looks like an example of H. habilis with the smaller brain size.

[AZ8theist]

49. Your statement is insulting to our ancestors...

Doturd is unevolved. Humans are...

[C Moon]

62. :D LOVE IT!!!

[Hiawatha Pete]

53. You win the thread! n/t

[Botany]

9. Yup! Hitler was looking at models of his "New Berlin" w/Speer as the Soviet Army was closing ....

.... in on his bunker. Trump has under 1 month to go in office and he is signing papers about
"future architecture" on government buildings? The fucker is nutz!


?1488816477

[LymphocyteLover]

11. Indeed, Creepy AF

[Bernardo de La Paz]

31. When tRump's casinos were failing he spent hours & hours selecting drapery material & carpet

It's a kind of comfort zone for people in stress; look to a fantasy future to temporarily forget the present.

[electric_blue68]

60. Hooo boy That's really overly heavy handed

architecture! Rather scarey!

Well, Nazism IS violently heavy handed 😥😥

so the architecture is consistent then! 😦

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. Does this mean

Does this mean we can remove that thing that Melanoma put in the Rose Garden?

[Escurumbele]

37. Dr. Jill Biden already said that is one of the 1st things she will do, restore it to what Jackeline

Kennedy did. The all-white-supremacist symbol will disappear.

[Lefta Dissenter]

42. I hadn't heard that!

What great news! Thank you!

[AZ8theist]

50. Citation please...

[d_r]

4. questions

Under the order, a “Council for Improving Federal Civic Architecture” will be formed to recommenced updates to the General Services Administration’s architectural guidelines.

1. which of his friends are going to be on this?
2. how much will they be paid?
3. what kind of kickbacks are they going to get from construction firms?

classic mafia bullshit right here

[The Roux Comes First]

5. No Gold-plated Gargoyles?

This is like having the menu at the Four Seasons planned by a fop who can't get beyond Buffalo Wings with Tater Tot casserole.

Mind you, those are both excellent fare in the proper time and place!

[Turbineguy]

6. He evidently did not read

The Fountainhead.

[mr_lebowski]

14. Could've just left your message as the subject line alone ...

[orwell]

7. So all the buildings...

...have to have a large gold TRUMP sign on them?

Do they have to have gold toilets that "powerfully flush" as well?

[IowaGuy]

10. This is an executive order, in 29 1/2 days it is meaningless....

I think somebody just put this in front of him to distract him and give him something relatively harmless to do for a few minutes so he could feel important.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

32. Yup, the more he wastes time with these things & Sydney Powell, the less trouble he makes. . . . nt

[PatSeg]

40. Yes

And apparently he still thinks he is King of the United States. Meanwhile, hopefully it keeps him from doing something more disastrous. I wish he'd just go to Mar-a-lago and play golf until January 20th. He'd be happier and the rest of us could relax a bit for the holidays.

[jb5150]

12. Not worth the paper it's scribbled on ....

Idiot ....

[Initech]

13. Seriously, the man has the vocabulary of a 2nd grader.

And even then I've seen 2nd graders who know more words than he does.

[yardwork]

15. Nazi. /nt

[bronxiteforever]

16. Kick and recommend for visibility. He is really following Hitler

Like others have said on this post. I guess he wants to ban “degenerate” modern art just like the Nazis did to “modern” painters.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

17. Here's a link:

Executive Order on Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture; December 21, 2020

It's Albert Speer or nothing.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Executive Order on Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture

Issued on: December 21, 2020

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. Societies have long recognized the importance of beautiful public architecture. Ancient Greek and Roman public buildings were designed to be sturdy and useful, and also to beautify public spaces and inspire civic pride. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, public architecture continued to serve these purposes. The 1309 constitution of the City of Siena required that “[w]hoever rules the City must have the beauty of the City as his foremost preoccupation . . . because it must provide pride, honor, wealth, and growth to the Sienese citizens, as well as pleasure and happiness to visitors from abroad.” Three centuries later, the great British Architect Sir Christopher Wren declared that “public buildings [are] the ornament of a country. [Architecture] establishes a Nation, draws people and commerce, makes the people love their native country . . . Architecture aims at eternity[]”

Notable Founding Fathers agreed with these assessments and attached great importance to Federal civic architecture. They wanted America’s public buildings to inspire the American people and encourage civic virtue. President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington, D.C., on the classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome. They sought to use classical architecture to visually connect our contemporary Republic with the antecedents of democracy in classical antiquity, reminding citizens not only of their rights but also their responsibilities in maintaining and perpetuating its institutions.

Washington and Jefferson personally oversaw the competitions to design the Capitol Building and the White House. Under the direction and following the vision of these two founders, Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed the Nation’s capital as a classical city. The promise of his design for the city was fulfilled by the 1902 McMillan Plan, which created the National Mall and the Monumental Core as we know them.

{snip}

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 18, 2020.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

33. tRump thinks he is building a legacy to match Washington & Jefferson. . . . nt

[Vinca]

18. Good lord he must be desperate to sign something.

Have they tried coloring books to keep him busy?

[appleannie1]

19. His idea of beautiful is fake gold and bordello red. No thanks.

[3825-87867]

20. I once read the Sultan of Brunei

never used a bidet or other "device" or ever had to use his own hand for "that" type of cleanliness, as he was at that time, supposedly the richest man in the world. He had certain aides to do it for him.

Not sure who will replace "Rump's Right-Hand Man", Mike, once Pence is no longer VP (Vestigial Proprium).

[FailureToCommunicate]

21. I guess Trump was unhappy with these in D.C....

Last edited Mon Dec 21, 2020, 02:11 PM - Edit history (1)

(National Museum of the American Indian)



(National Museum of African American History and Culture)

[electric_blue68]

58. Heh...

The NM of the American Indian is lovely.
I saw it when my sis treated me so we could go together to see Obama's Inauguration, and then visit museums.
The ? kiva style gathering area is quite wonderful

I haven't thought to try and save up for another trip to DC (I've paid my way many times in the past), with so many things I've needed, wanted (art & craft supplies) ..

So I haven't gotten back there since they built the NM of African American History, and Culture. : (

I've read about it, seen photos (such a striking design!) -

but this photo is the first time I've seen it at night.💖
Wow, thank you!

[FailureToCommunicate]

59. You are welcome! It IS amazing. Save up your $$ and come again. Remember, all the

museums -well, most of them- are free.

We were also there for Obama's inaugural. What an amazing jubilant event! And also freaking cold! It took me hours to get feeling back in my hands and feet!

[electric_blue68]

61. It sure was cold! Remember the cheer after...

the SCJ said (I think) "Congratulations, Mr. President.

.Sooo Wonderful!

For the first one we didn't make it one to the National Mall we were near the Carousel.
Second time we did.

I have a done a rare there, visit, and back in one swoop with out staying over (usually I stay over one night).
But to get there faster, instead of the bus, or even the regular train - I'd have to save for the more expensive
Acela. Ah, but yeah, I could just take it down.
I think we took the Acela down for the 2nd Inauguration.

I guess I'll try to sock $ some away bit by bit.

I love the National Mall, and I'm SO glad I've seen, and strolled it a bunch of times before any of the safety barriers were put up after the scary incidents during the Clinton years!

[cos dem]

22. Well, thank goodness all of this countries problems are dealt with, giving him time for useless crap

[Bayard]

23. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

And he does this while thousands die, starve, and get evicted. Talk about Nero fiddling!

[bucolic_frolic]

24. Sudden concern for posterity might be a hopeful sign

Even dementia patients can get imminent premonitions

[ananda]

25. Geez, that is just so fucking important!

Words fail.

[bucolic_frolic]

26. Says the Developer who fought every government housing regulation

The man is demented beyond recognition

[maxsolomon]

27. There has been an effort to embrace good design for Federal Projects for decades.

I'd agree that, for things like a Tennis Pavilion at the White House, Federal Style is appropriate - its an addition to a Federal-Style building.

But everywhere across America, there's been great work being done on Federal buildings by conscientious, talented designers. And as much as most Architects (including me) love Brutalism, no one's proposing a Boston City Hall again.

This is just more pique from a FUCKING LOSER.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

28. What does Mr. Gold Toilet know about beautiful architecture?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

34. How to tear it down. NT

[jmowreader]

29. Wouldn't that run up the cost of the building?

As one of the 350 million Americans who has to help pay for these buildings, I would prefer to have my money spent on things like TEMPEST-shielded computer cabling and high-efficiency HVAC to make the people who will work in these buildings more secure and energy efficient, than on putting a useless cupola on the roof to please a maniac.

[iluvtennis]

30. Who cares what he thinks...in 706 hours he's OUT. nt

[Totally Tunsie]

36. Just sayin'...

[jeffreyi]

38. Marie Antrumpinette.

[Escurumbele]

39. In the words of bugs bunny, what a maroon, what a nincowpoop

what a buffoon...and shameless...

[IronLionZion]

41. This might apply to federal prisons where he's locked up. nt

[matt819]

43. Others beat me to it.

Adolf Hitler

Albert Speer

From Wikipedia: Architectural style was used by the Nazis to deliver and enforce their ideology. Formal elements like flat roofs, horizontal extension, uniformity, and the lack of decor created "an impression of simplicity, uniformity, monumentality, solidity and eternity," which is how the Nazi Party wanted to appear.

Just sayin'.

[TNNurse]

44. His idea of beautiful makes me shudder.

[Warpy]

45. Fake Greek and Roman zrchitecture is not suitable for office buildings

so this is another grandiose EO that will be shitcanned in a month.

At least they're distracting the baby for now.

[BrightKnight]

46. Albert Speer - Just another dog whistle. n/t

[LudwigPastorius]

47. Nazi to the core...

"Why Hitler Hated Modernism"

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24819441

[LeftInTX]

48. This order is the least worst of his bad orders, but where are we gonna get the money for this??

And doesn't the right wing HATE historical preservation and building codes?

I'm personally not a fan of modernistic style, but there are lots of non-descript boring federal buildings that look fine. As long as they fill the purpose.

[COL Mustard]

51. For A Change, I Agree With Him

Most of the Federal buildings I've worked in are 1960s brutalist architecture, with no style at all. We used to do nice buildings, even the Post Offices. We showed people the grandeur and majesty of the country with the older styles of architecture.

[abakan]

52. Oh you tasteless fool

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you are blind.

[truthisfreedom]

54. Gaudy, gold-plated, with Corinthian columns.

his idea of beautiful architecture.

[Withywindle]

55. OMG when I first saw the headline I was SURE it was The Onion.

Didn't Hitler also have some strong opinions about architecture?

[Brainfodder]

56. Why now?

What's the real angle for this?

[niyad]

57. I nearly spit out my drink! The king of crass mandating beauty and class????

[pfitz59]

63. This from a man who destroys art....

https://medium.com/@nevaer1/when-donald-trump-destroyed-monumental-art-4140bfae17e6