President Donald Trump has signed a comprehensive executive order establishing classical architecture as the preferred design style for United States government buildings. This Thursday directive represents a significant expansion of policies Trump began implementing shortly after taking office in January, fundamentally changing how federal construction projects will be approached.
The new executive order effectively overturns a decades-old federal policy that prohibited the establishment of any official architectural style for government buildings. This longstanding ban was originally put in place to encourage architectural diversity and prevent the government from favoring specific design approaches. Trump's order marks a dramatic shift toward promoting traditional and neoclassical building designs for civic structures.
The policy change is expected to significantly benefit architecture firms that specialize in classical and traditional design styles. These companies, which focus on neoclassical, Georgian, and other historical architectural approaches, will likely see increased opportunities to compete for lucrative federal building contracts. The order essentially creates a preference system that favors firms with expertise in traditional design over those specializing in modern or contemporary architecture.
One example of this architectural direction can already be seen in the neoclassical design selected for the new federal courthouse in Huntsville, Alabama. This project, which was chosen during Trump's first administration, features traditional columns, symmetrical facades, and other elements characteristic of classical architecture. The Huntsville courthouse design, created by Fentress Architects, serves as a model for the type of buildings the administration wants to promote.
The executive order builds upon an earlier memo that Trump issued in January, but this new directive carries more legal weight and provides clearer guidance for federal agencies. The order is part of Trump's broader "Make Federal Architecture Beautiful Again" initiative, which aims to restore what the administration considers more dignified and traditional designs to government buildings across the country.
