1951–Present
About this object The House made do with steel-beam scaffolding for nearly a decade, despite the obvious danger from a deteriorating roof. The delay resulted in part from the high cost of construction materials and shortages of labor during World War II.
Although sound structure was the first order of business, a new look was also part of the project. The Victorian tastes that governed the initial décor were, a century later, practically synonymous with old and outdated. According to the Architect of the Capitol’s report to Congress on the project, the new look was inspired by “sources of early Federal architecture used . . . in the Supreme Court and Statuary Hall portions of the Capitol and other buildings from the early Republic.” In addition to appealing to 20th century tastes, the designers also believed the cleaner lines of a federal-inspired style were well suited to adding modern lighting, air conditioning, and acoustic treatment.