History of Architecture and Government
July 16, 2015
As a significant driving force in innovation, construction, and building design, the government has frequently been a major player in the field of architecture as well. Government buildings have often been designed by leading architects as both functional facilities and long-standing monuments to the morals and goals embodied by each federal agency. Federal building design also frequently reflects the forward-thinking concepts of the time, from early elevator usage to modern-day sustainability practices.
The Civil War and Architecture
The Civil War played a pivotal role in American history; this event also had a profound impact on federal architecture in the years immediately following the war’s resolution. After the war, the Department of the Treasury commissioned several buildings with grand, sweeping architectural design, meant to serve as a symbol of the prevailing government’s stability. Prominent features of these buildings included large, skylit workrooms, Romanesque stone facades, and entranceways flanked by grand columns and arches.
The Great Depression and Construction
Over 50% of the U.S. General Services Administration’s current buildings were designed and constructed during the Great Depression. The high number of newly-constructed buildings during this time is owed to government-sponsored construction and public works programs. Buildings constructed during this era often feature a combination of Art Deco and classical architectural elements, marrying the grandiose and the minimalist with statues, sculpted detailing, and civic art.
Modern Federal Construction
Established in 1992, the General Services Administration’s Design Excellence program has sought to encourage modern federal building design based on the principles embodied by the government. Rather than creating places where people simply work, new federal construction focuses on contemporary architectural thought and design, as well as sustainability practices, to create new buildings that shape the way people think and feel about their place in American society and the larger global environment.
The experienced architects at Sears Gerbo Architecture, LLC offer building design and programming for federal, educational, laboratory, and corporate buildings throughout the Tucson area. You can reach us by phone at (520) 722-5079, or take a tour of our Tucson architecture firm when you click through our comprehensive website.