Federal Modernism
Encyclopedia
The architectural style known as federal modernism emerged in 1949 after the US General Services Administration
(GSA) was created in response to the organizational needs of the US federal government
during its time of post-war expansion. "The most gigantic business on earth,"http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=15974&programPage=%252Fep%252Fprogram%252FgsaBasic.jsp&channelId=-15036&ooid=14925&pageTypeId=8195&P=PMHP&programId=9062&contentType=GSA_BASIC was established to consolidate the government’s building management and general procurement functions. GSA responded to the building needs coming out of the Depression-era
and wartime expansion after World War II. The decades of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s stand out as a period of extensive federal government growth, with the number of Federal employees, the Federal budget, and GSA's building-related budget increasing dramatically. Between 1960 and 1976, GSA undertook more than 700 building projects across the United States. These included office buildings, courthouses, post offices, museums, and border stations, located in cities and towns of all sizes.
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA) was created in response to the organizational needs of the US federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
during its time of post-war expansion. "The most gigantic business on earth,"http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=15974&programPage=%252Fep%252Fprogram%252FgsaBasic.jsp&channelId=-15036&ooid=14925&pageTypeId=8195&P=PMHP&programId=9062&contentType=GSA_BASIC was established to consolidate the government’s building management and general procurement functions. GSA responded to the building needs coming out of the Depression-era
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and wartime expansion after World War II. The decades of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s stand out as a period of extensive federal government growth, with the number of Federal employees, the Federal budget, and GSA's building-related budget increasing dramatically. Between 1960 and 1976, GSA undertook more than 700 building projects across the United States. These included office buildings, courthouses, post offices, museums, and border stations, located in cities and towns of all sizes.