Docomomo US is aware of the reissued Executive Order directing policy that Federal public buildings should be “beautiful” again. We are deeply concerned with such ideological restrictions and believe that beauty in architecture comes from the freedom of communities and designers to work collaboratively and as directed in the 1962 Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture “that embody the finest contemporary American architectural thought.” Such thinking has given us some of our nation’s most beloved and inspiring civic buildings that happen to be in a Modernist style including the Chicago Federal Center, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters and the United States Tax Court Building both in Washington, DC.

 

At a time when the effects of climate change are everywhere, we believe that our resources would be better directed by promoting the preservation of our existing historic architecture and reducing building emissions and the environmental impacts of demolition and sourcing new materials. We have civic and public architecture (regardless of style) that is in desperate need of preservation funding. Docomomo US believes that this Executive Order is not in keeping with the historic architectural diversity found in this country and that ideological restrictions on beauty have no place in our communities.

 

For further comment email info@docomomo-us.org.