Brutal DC

Article and photography by Tom Potter.

Washington D.C., as is the case with most major cities, is a host to a variety of different styles of architecture and buildings. But for its government buildings specifically, that style is surprisingly recurrent. I'm referring of course to the bold, blocky, brutalists that dot the landscape. Brutalist architecture is a style recognizeable by its raw, unadorned concrete faces, that eschew traditional aesthetics in order to focus entirely on the core material used in construction. It was a popular style from the 1950s until the mid 1970s, but how did it end up defining so many federal buildings around the city? The answer comes from single page in a report written more than 6 decades ago.

In 1961, facing an expanding federal footprint and a dire need for space to perform these functions in, President Kennedy convened the Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Office Space. One member, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, assistant to the Secretary of Labor and future senator from New York, created a 16 page report detailing the existing state and proposed future of federal office space. Though the topic may seem mundane at a glance, one single page, titled Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture, would end up shaping more than half a century of architecture, and play a major role in developing the current look and feel of Washington D.C.

The James V. Forrestal federal building frames the Washington Monument in the horizon.

The policy shall be to provide requisite and adequate facilities in an architectural style and form which is distinguished and which will reflect the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American National Government.

The James V. Forrestal building, named for the first Secretary of Defense, was completed in 1969.

Major emphasis should be placed on the choice of designs that embody the finest contemporary American architectural thought.

Where appropriate, fine art should be incorporated in the designs with emphasis on the work of living American artists.

Nicknamed 'the Little Pentagon', it originally housed the Department of the Navy, it was transferred to the Department of Energy in 1977, which continues to occupy it to this day.

Designs shall adhere to sound construction practice and utilize materials, methods, and equipment of proven dependability.

Designed by the renowned Marcel Breuer, the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building was the site of the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1968 until 2025. With the relocation of HUD to Alexandria, Virginia, the building faces an uncertain future.

Buildings shall be economical to build, operate, and maintain, and should be accessible to the handicapped.

The development of an official style must be avoided. Design must flow from the architectural profession to the Government and not vice versa.

The (in)famous 'UFOs' located in the plaza were added in 1998 during a redesign led by landscape architect Martha Schwartz. Much like the building it stands outside of, the plaza generates strong opinions, both positive and negative from the public.

Special attention should be paid to the general ensemble of streets and public places of which Federal buildings will form a part. Where possible, buildings should be located so as to permit a generous development of landscape.

The J. Edgar Hoover Building. Originally planned to have decorative cladding on the exterior of the building, the design was changed late into development and the bare concrete remained. As this was not originally planned, protective treatments were not added to the exterior faces resulting in accelerated wear from decades in the elements. Netting was installed at the top to prevent chunks of concrete from falling onto pedestrians below the building.

The buildings serve as a time capsule of sorts, that reflect the cultural zeitgeist when they were built; a memory made in stone. In many ways the guidelines are an appropriate mirror to what are considered traditional American values, in that the buildings they yield are designed by the people, can be used by all of the people, for the service of the people. The Secretary for the Commission on Fine Arts Charles Atherton at the time described the principles as such:

"The Guiding Principles are like the Declaration of Independence. You can’t revise them. They are so basic and so right in everything.”

And yet, as of August 28, 2025, they have been changed. An executive order related to federal architecture was issued declaring that, short of “exceptional factors necessitating another kind of architecture”, all federal buildings in the District of Columbia should be created in the classical style, similar to that of the Capitol building, or Supreme Court. This marks a significant departure from the previous principles, which intentionally focused on a one way flow of style influence from the architectural community to the government. In the grand scheme of things this is not a huge or monumental change, and classical style buildings are beautiful and inspiring, but it reflects another way in which the central government is no longer instructed by the people, which is a loss in and of itself.