Building in Design Excellence

he Public Buildings Service is embarking on an ambitious initiative to emphasize architectural excellence in the design of new government buildings and in the restoration of existing facilities. Edward A. Feiner, the first to hold the title of chief architect at the agency in more than 50 years, is overseeing the process. Feiner revised GSA's competitive architect selection procedures so that government project experience no longer is the primary bid ranking factor. Now world-class architects are lining up to bid for government contracts.

"The culture of the organization has become exceptionally supportive of design," Feiner says. "This is not a program or an effort try to make things excessively expensive. It is really an attempt to try to get the best presence in communities by the government and to build a mutual respect between the citizens and their governmental institutions."

Already the General Services Administration has won several awards, including a Presidential Design Award that Tipper Gore presented in October to GSA Administrator David J. Barram and architect Michael Barber for the restoration of the Byron White Courthouse in Denver.