White House Imposing Rules On Style Of Federal Buildings Is 'An Attack On Cultural, Architectural Diversity'

05:45

February 13, 2020

The U.S. Supreme Court is pictured on Feb. 1, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

A draft executive order is reportedly circulating inside the White House, titled "Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again."

The order, if adopted, would require most new federal buildings to be built in classical style, and it has been roundly criticized by architects and designers.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks with Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin (@BlairKamin) about why he thinks federal rules on style are bad for architecture and democracy.

Examples Of Classical Federal Buildings

U.S. Treasury Department building in Washington, D.C. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

The Capitol in Washington, D.C. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Skaters on the ice at The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink in Washington, D.C. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

Examples Of Modern Federal Buildings

The Flamingo sculpture in Chicago's Federal Plaza. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

Tourists walk past the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

This segment aired on February 13, 2020.

White House Imposing Rules On Style Of Federal Buildings Is 'An Attack On Cultural, Architectural Diversity'

Examples Of Classical Federal Buildings

Examples Of Modern Federal Buildings

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