Architect Criticizes White House Ballroom Expansion Before Vote

A prominent architect criticized President Donald Trump's proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition to the White House on Wednesday, urging significant scaling back to preserve the historic landmark as a federal panel prepares to vote on the project Thursday in Washington.

David Scott Parker, a fellow of the American Institute of Architects and board member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, whose firm focuses on residential design and preservation, described the plans as overly expansive. Speaking ahead of the National Capital Planning Commission's online meeting, Parker analyzed renderings submitted by the White House to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which approved the project in February. "Everything here feels inflated," Parker said. He warned that the addition would permanently alter the nation's most recognizable historic residence, the White House, with impacts on its architecture, symbolism and historical integrity.

Trump announced the ballroom project last summer, stating it would provide indoor space for entertaining up to 1,000 guests rather than relying on tents on the South Lawn. In October, workers demolished the East Wing with minimal advance...