Description
In 1792, President George Washington announced America’s first official architectural design competition – for the future U.S. Capitol Building. He rejected a series of uninspired and even bizarre proposed designs before enthusiastically embracing William Thornton’s distinctive submission. That competition effectively established an official neoclassical style for public buildings in Washington and across the country that lasted well into the 20th century, and inaugurated a practice of design competitions for public buildings and national memorials that continues to this day. In this talk, we’ll review the legacy of the Capitol competition and consider whether public competitions are still relevant.
