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President Biden Revokes Trump's Controversial Classical Architecture Order

7 points by aww_dang 6y ago

aww_dang 6y ago
>Biden's executive order may put his administration at odds with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency established in 1910 that advises lawmakers "on matters of design and aesthetics." >Shubow points to a National Civic Art Society survey by the Harris Poll. It found that "72% of American adults prefer classical and traditional design for federal buildings. There were wide majorities for tradition across all demographic groups, including political party affiliation," he says. The article does not explain what is controversial about classical design or the order. It goes on to describe the homogeneous demographics of the unpaid advisors.
- jfengel 6y ago
  The word "controversial" in the article is a link to another article that explains the controversy: https://www.npr.org/2020/12/21/948926995/keep-it-classical-says-trump-order-on-federal-architecture https://www.npr.org/2020/12/21/948926995/keep-it-classical-s... It's not a great article, but "We are absolutely opposed to this order" from the head of the American Institute of Architects seems a pretty strong confirmation of the word "controversial". As for the demographics... Washington is a diverse city, serving a diverse federal government in a diverse country. To have exclusively white men on the panel -- and have them endorse "the style I like, that celebrates my ancestors, is the only style anybody should use" -- is very self-centered. Some of the most beautiful buildings on the Mall aren't pretend-Greek-temples: the African American History Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the East Wing of the National Gallery, as well as various memorials in a wide variety of styles. It's very unseemly for one President to declare that the entire city should contain only his preferred style, and it's certainly not the American way to preclude innovation.
  - jfengel 6y ago
    I wonder if Rand Paul has anything to weigh in about this. The Fountainhead is all about an architect inveighing against pretend-Greek-temples so that he can build buildings his way.
  - aww_dang 6y ago
    >To have exclusively white men on the panel -- and have them endorse "the style I like, that celebrates my ancestors, is the only style anybody should use" -- is very self-centered. From my reading, the order was in reaction to modern architecture. Not sure where you are reading id politics into that. Furthermore, who are you to say that Americans of any ethnicity have or do not have a connection to an architectural style? Can I play the race card here and say I'm a fan of the Smithsonian's Romanesque revival style?
    - jfengel 6y ago
      I'm not. But you could ask them. Except nobody is asking. That's the point.

7 points by aww_dang 6y ago

>Biden's executive order may put his administration at odds with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency established in 1910 that advises lawmakers "on matters of design and aesthetics." >Shubow points to a National Civic Art Society survey by the Harris Poll. It found that "72% of American adults prefer classical and traditional design for federal buildings. There were wide majorities for tradition across all demographic groups, including political party affiliation," he says. The article does not explain what is controversial about classical design or the order. It goes on to describe the homogeneous demographics of the unpaid advisors.

jfengel 6y ago
The word "controversial" in the article is a link to another article that explains the controversy: https://www.npr.org/2020/12/21/948926995/keep-it-classical-says-trump-order-on-federal-architecture https://www.npr.org/2020/12/21/948926995/keep-it-classical-s... It's not a great article, but "We are absolutely opposed to this order" from the head of the American Institute of Architects seems a pretty strong confirmation of the word "controversial". As for the demographics... Washington is a diverse city, serving a diverse federal government in a diverse country. To have exclusively white men on the panel -- and have them endorse "the style I like, that celebrates my ancestors, is the only style anybody should use" -- is very self-centered. Some of the most beautiful buildings on the Mall aren't pretend-Greek-temples: the African American History Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the East Wing of the National Gallery, as well as various memorials in a wide variety of styles. It's very unseemly for one President to declare that the entire city should contain only his preferred style, and it's certainly not the American way to preclude innovation.
- jfengel 6y ago
  I wonder if Rand Paul has anything to weigh in about this. The Fountainhead is all about an architect inveighing against pretend-Greek-temples so that he can build buildings his way.
- aww_dang 6y ago
  >To have exclusively white men on the panel -- and have them endorse "the style I like, that celebrates my ancestors, is the only style anybody should use" -- is very self-centered. From my reading, the order was in reaction to modern architecture. Not sure where you are reading id politics into that. Furthermore, who are you to say that Americans of any ethnicity have or do not have a connection to an architectural style? Can I play the race card here and say I'm a fan of the Smithsonian's Romanesque revival style?
  - jfengel 6y ago
    I'm not. But you could ask them. Except nobody is asking. That's the point.