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Modernism

Thanks to Alert Reader SeanF, I see that I am not alone in my hatred of Modernist architecture:

A new study finds 72 percent of Americans prefer traditional architecture for U.S. courthouses and federal office buildings, including majorities across political, racial, sex, and socioeconomic categories. The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of National Civic Art Society and polled more than 2,000 U.S. adults.
These findings come in light of the possibility of a Trump administration executive order, appropriately named Make Federal Buildings Beautiful Again, that would require that new office buildings in Washington, D.C. be classical in design. Among other things, the order would revise the 1962 “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which forced modernism to be the official government building style.

Indeed, the picture in the article states it better than anything:

Needless to say, the Ungodly have set about trying to stop this most worthy cause:

In response to the leak of the potential order, a bill entitled the “Democracy in Design Act” was proposed by House Democrats to overturn it.

…which simply reminds us that winning back the House in November is Job #2.

One of the most heartening things about this website comes from people who write to me and say, “I thought I was the only one who believed in this kind of thing” , and who were astonished to find a kindred soul in both my writings and the support of my Readers.

Now it’s the Federalist ‘s turn to do it for me.  How gratifying.

12 comments

  1. But Kim, there’s nothing wrong with modern… (looks at pictures)… Oh, THAT kind of “modern.” Yeah, never mind.

    Wait, the Democrats are opposing this? What the hell? Have they seen the Hoover building? Is that what they want the Capitol to look like? Are they really going to fight for ugly buildings just because Trump wants nice ones? Sorry, stupid question, of course they are. If Trump said the sky was blue, they’d have Merriam-Webster redefine “blue.”

    1. The Democrats in Congress are opposing it, probably because Orange Man Bad. The survey showed even about 3/4 of Democrats preferred traditional buildings.

  2. Absolutely correct! All government building should look as if Cicero was on his way inside. However, if it’s just going to be a drone collection center for the pesky fleas who infest government, it should look like the inside of a slave galley. Whips and benches included.

  3. Federal government buildings should be built in the brutalist style.

    As a warning to people entering them.

  4. Our first time in Waxahachie, my wife and I were quite taken with the Ellis County Courthouse, complete with a monument to those who wore the The Gray. Tripadvisor(dot)com has a gallery of photos.

  5. The HHS building, looks like the FBI building.
    Which is a fort, probably not great against trained troops, but is, against an anticipated unruly mob of deplorables.
    Though back then they weren’t admitting they thought we were deplorables yet.

  6. It’s not just in DC but everywhere. Look what the formerly wonderful Smithsonian did to Andrew Carnegie’s magnificent Georgian Revival home in NYC:
    https://www.cooperhewitt.org/about-the-carnegie-mansion-2/
    How about that POS reception desk and vase stands sticking out like hemorrhoids in a gorgeous room built by master craftsmen?
    Or the trashing of his garden with the POS du jour lawn furniture?
    https://www.cooperhewitt.org/garden/

    Or this museum near me:
    VMFA original building: http://architecturerichmond.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/vmfa-1.jpg
    versus its recent addition, larger than the original and directly attached: http://architecturerichmond.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/vmfa-1.jpg which is mostly gigantic empty space inside.

    I’ve been personally inflicted with architects’ insulting output over the last 40 years, and in every instance wanted to smash them for their arrogance and disregard for the people that had to use or work in their hideous, non-functional creations.

  7. Unfortunately Trump’s great executive order will not make those horrid looking buildings go away.
    And does the order include federally financed institutions Like the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art, so we don’t suffer any more museums like the concrete Circle of Hell of the Hirschorn museum, or I. M. Pei’s addition to the National Gallery?

    If the Socialists win this election, getting back the Senate as well, who knows when a fire in the Capitol will destroy the building and require a bigger replacement, designed by Frank Gehry or Daniel Libeskind. There! Now you have another reason to vote for Donal Trump!

  8. There’s nothing with modernist concrete buildings that can’t be resolved with a new granite building and applying a wrecking ball to the old.

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