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Iman Ansari B Arch ’08 publishes White House critique in Architectural Record

03. 23. 2026
  • An architectural rendering of a proposed grand ballroom addition to the White House, as featured in an article by Iman Ansari for Architectural Record. The image shows a massive, multi-story neoclassical building with a prominent central portico featuring a row of tall Corinthian columns and a large triangular pediment. The structure is finished in white stone to match the existing White House, which is visible in the background to the right. The rendering is viewed from a low angle behind a stone and black metal perimeter fence, with green lawns in the foreground. A caption below notes that the image was shared by President Trump on social media on February 3, 2026.

We are proud to highlight a recent article by Iman Ansari B Arch ’08. In his latest essay, “The White House Ballroom and the Phantom of Modernization,” featured in Architectural Record, Ansari provides a compelling analysis of the proposed East Wing Modernization Project at the White House. He critically examines the administration’s decision to replace the East Wing with a grand ballroom, exploring the project’s complex relationship with classical architecture and its claim to “modernity” by tracing the history of White House renovations from James Hoban’s original 1792 design to today.

Read the full article in Architectural Record here.

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