United States of America: White House
"I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessing on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof!"
- John Adams
Second President of the USA
White House: North Face
White House: South Face
Overview
Construction: October 13 1792 - 1800s
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500
Architect: James Hoban
Architectural Style: Palladian, Neoclassical, Classical Greek
Commissioned By: Congress
Reason: 200 years ago, when the United States of America was still a newborn country, citizens and officials alike started to wonder where and in what building the president would live. Would he live in a palace? A mansion? An average house? Where would the structure be? In the north? In the south? A residence for the current, as well as future, president was desperately needed, much like how Number 10 is the Prime Minister's residence and working place in the United Kingdom. The president would have to greet and entertain guests and work at his residence, which made this building extremely significant.
Brief History: President Washington hired architects to plan a new city, the capitol, now called Washington D.C. Benjamin Banneker, Andrew Ellicot and Pierre Charles L'Enfant were a major portion of this process. However, then came the necessary work of deciding on a dwelling for the President himself in this city. Thomas Jefferson suggested having a contest; James Hoban, a young Irish American architect, won this competition by submitting his simple, elegant and functional design for what is now called the White House. The first cornerstone was laid on October 13th, 1792, and it would take over 8 years for the place to be considered livable. Although Washington saw almost the entirety of the construction through, he did not have the chance to actually live in the building. However, the presidents succeeding him, such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison did. The President's House did suffer many challenges though; for instance, a fire from the War of 1812 left only the walls barely standing. However, each time such an unfortunate event would arise, the building would simply be modified and adjusted, overcoming such challenges. This is how the beautifully grand White House still stands proud to this day.
White House Design by James Hoban
Original Designs of James Hoban
Architect James Hoban
White from the Ashes
The White House, as its name clearly indicates, is white: a beautiful "whisper white" that glows softly in the sunlight. However, why is the White House white in the first place? It is true that the original building walls had been finished with lime-based whitewash in 1798 to prevent the porous stone from freezing. However, the exact reason the building was subsequently painted white is unknown, which is unfortunate since it is responsible for the new name of the building: first as a nickname, then an official title in 1902. Nevertheless, this change did occur after a certain disaster which can be closely linked with it. During the War of 1812 when tensions with Great Britain erupted into a 32-month military conflict, the British armies torched the White House in 1814. All that remained were the exterior charred walls and the interior brick walls. As James Hoban was invited once again to the White House to restore the building, the President's House was painted white in order to, according to some, hide the scorch marks and prevent discoloration. This white color almost always has a positive connotation, bringing to mind many valuable elements such as purity, goodness, innocence, humility, perfection and successful beginnings. The fact that the building was painted this positive and inspiring color after such a tragedy as the fire of 1814 showcases and symbolizes many facets about the nation as a whole. For instance, it shows that America fully has the ability to recover after facing great challenges and obstacles, coming back to a fresh start. Furthermore, the white color embodies the goodness of the country, its people, its government and its democratic system.
However, there is an additional component to this day in history, shrouded in mystery, that some consider much to strange to be a simple coincidence. On the night of the fire by the British armies, there is a reason Washington City was only occupied for around 26 hours, barely more than a day, despite the fact that there was almost no resistance in the city. An extremely powerful storm struck the area with such violence that the British forces had no choice but to retreat, abandoning the burning building and the city. Many even believed that God himself had helped them during a time of need when they could not help themselves. Whether the storm was a coincidence or not, the tragic event rather strengthened the people's belief in the country, and as the destroyed building was reborn with a new coat of white, something else was born in the hearts of the people: hope. Hope for the country's future and the continuation of its democratic ways also was set ablaze.
Fire of 1814 (War of 1812)
The Heart Remains
Another major aspect worth studying is looking at how the White House has developed throughout the ages. The building has changed much from the original designs, applying to both the interior and the exterior. For one, the house has grown since it had to grow along with the number of people working at the white house. This shows how the country's devotion to democracy has only grown as time passed, now involving progressively more people. Furthermore, one can notice that the central section of the White House has remained relatively unchanged as well as the middle section walls.
Such factors that have remained constant, despite experiencing countless developments, renovations and modifications to the building, symbolize the loyalty to the original intention of constructing not only the White House, but the nation itself. They embody the tenacity of this original intention including democracy and the countless elements of it, such as liberty, peace, justice, freedom and equality. Through keeping some major portions of the building constant and protecting them, one can see commitment to the idea of democracy.
This also leads into how the White House is considered as the beacon of democracy by many both on the national and international level. As such a well-known facet of the built environment of the United States of America, it helps citizens embrace the idea of democracy as a more tangible concept. The stellar architectural piece stands for the many components of democracy as well as the word itself, as previously stated. Taking this idea one step further, the White House is not only a testament to the greatness of the leader but also the greatness of the country, the United States of America. It is a testament to how the country has managed to overcome countless difficulties and challenges, continuing to fight for what they desired and deserved: a democratic country.