Federal courthouse RFQ requiring classical styling condemned by AIA

The United States General Services Administration (GSA) recently published a project solicitation notice for a planned federal courthouse in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area that mandates a "classical architectural style" for the facility.  In response to the solicitation, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has issued a strong rebuke of the project, calling the effort a "project-by-project replacement" by the GSA of the controversial "Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again" draft executive order proposed by President Donald Trump earlier this year. Previously on Archinect: New executive order could make classical architecture "the preferred and default style" for America's public buildings. The Jamie L. Witten Federal Building in Washington, D.C., designed by Philadelphia architects Rankin, Kellogg and Crane in 1901. Image courtesy of Wikimedia user U.S. Department of Agriculture.Describing the organization's fierce opposition to the potential mandate, AIA EVP/Chief Execu...