Revitalizing Civic Spaces: A Call for Beautiful Federal Architecture

January 20, 2025

MEMORANDUM FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture

I hereby direct the Administrator of the General Services Administration, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the heads of departments and agencies of the United States, to submit recommendations within 60 days to advance the policy that Federal public buildings should be visually identifiable as civic buildings. This initiative aims to respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage to uplift and beautify public spaces, thereby ennobling the United States and our system of self-government.

The recommendations should consider appropriate revisions to the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture and procedures for incorporating community input into Federal building design selections.

If, before such recommendations are submitted, the Administrator proposes to approve a design for a new Federal public building that diverges from this policy, the Administrator must notify me, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, at least 30 days before the General Services Administration could reject such design without incurring substantial expenditures. This notification must outline the reasons for the proposed approval of such design.