The architect Leopold Eidlitz once said merican architecture is the art of covering one thing with another thing to imitate a third thing, which if genuine would not be desirable?(guide pg. 42).The architects who designed Washington D.C. were true to this. Neoclassical, Greek Revival, Roman Revival, Georgian, Gothic Revival, and Egyptian architectural styles were all used in the creation of the city in the 1800.
The image of Classical order came to be strongly associated with public buildings and their role in elevating public virtue (Understanding Architecture pg. 422). William Thorton design for the Capital Building captured that image. he grandeur, the simplicity, and the beautyill, I doubt not, give it a preference in your eyes as it has in mine,?Thorton exclaimed (geocities.com). The design for the Capital was a work of art but would prove to be difficult to build. In 1803, Benjamin Henry Latrobe took over work on the building (geocities.com).
A 1793 elevation by James Hoban, the selected arch...
English: The White House, Washington, D.C. Site pl...
Elevation of the north side of the White House, by...By 1807, he had completed the south wing and had begun repairs and alterations to the north wing (guide pg.23). Unfortunately on August 24th, 1814 Admiral Cockburn of the British Navy set fire to this arbor to Yankee Democracy?(guide pg.23). When Latrobe began reconstruction, it allowed him to explore different Greek styles and to find something suitable for democratic expression (geocities.com). Latrobe can be seen as the originator of the American search for a purer Classicism (geocities.com). Charles Bulfinch took over construction in 1819 and completed the project in 1829 (guide pg.22).
The White House, which was designed and contracted by James Hoban was first created between 1793 and 1801. Like the Capital Building, Neoclassical styles were used but with an expression of Georgian architecture (greatbuildings.com). The White House also was set fire on in 1814 but was not destroyed. By some stroke of luck, a large...