![]() ![]() The same walls have withstood the fire of 1814 which saw its interiors burned down when the British forces occupied Washington DC and set the White House ablaze. As I emerged from the winding security checks and walked down the driveway towards the building, I was welcomed by the white sandstone walls draped in the bright summer sun's radiance. The style derives from the traditions of antiquity, Vitruvian principles and the works of Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The White House, built between 1792–1800 in the neoclassical federal style, was inspired by the neoclassical movement of the mid-18th century. George Washington had organized a design competition for the presidential house and the winning entry was a refined Georgian mansion by Irish-born architect James Hoban. Since the idea of a president itself was new, no one was quite sure what a president's house should look like. Even though my tour of the White House was limited to the mansion's East Wing, away from the West Wing, which comprises the Oval Office and President's residence, it served as a useful template in imagining the interior design and decoration of the 132 rooms. Throughout the changes, the basic structure and layout of the White House have been honoured. From curtains to carpets, flower beds to sleeping beds, every American President and his family has altered the executive mansion to suit their individual tastes. The elegant columns of the White House support much more than the weight of the building, for they also bear the weight of being the symbol of America's political, economic and diplomatic dominance in the world. The White House, particularly its interiors, have been altered, adapted or enlarged several times to meet the demands of a growing nation and of a more complicated world. How does one go about designing a building that is meant to embody power, democracy and the centre of gravity of a New World Order? Built in 1800, The White House has stood tall in its majestic splendour as the most recognisable symbol of the US.
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