President Donald Trump to add "exquisite" ballroom to White House

US president Donald Trump has commissioned architecture firm McCrery Architects to add a neoclassical ballroom to the White House on the site of the East Wing.

Announced today, the White House State Ballroom is set to be built on the site of the East Wing and will host major events with a seated capacity of 650 people.

"The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of innately designed and carefully crafted space," said the White House in a press release.

According to the Trump administration, the architectural style of the design will be "almost identical" to the neoclassical main White House.

Renderings of the main ballroom space show an open-plan room with a coffered ceiling.

Large arched windows run around three sides of the room, while gold trim outlines Corinthian-style columns, the ceiling, and walls. Gold lighting pendants and chandeliers hang from the ceiling.

The 90,000-square-foot (8,360 square metres) ball room building is planned to be built on the site of the existing East Wing, which was originally built in 1902 with a second story added in 1942.

Currently, the East Wing contains office space for the First Lady and staff, and a visitor's entrance. It is not known if the First Lady's offices will return to the wing after the project is complete.

"The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, it's theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical," said the White House.

"The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits."

It is not known how much of the existing East Wing will be retained, but renders of the exterior of the White House State Ballroom show a building around double the size of the current structure and with entirely different facades.

Along with the main ballroom's arched windows that surround the upper floor, the renders show a large portico added to the building's east facade.

President Trump selected McCrery Architects as they are "well-known for their classical architectural design".

"Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman," said McCrery Architects' CEO Jim McCrery.

"I am honoured that president Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to the People's House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance."

Led by Clark Construction, construction on the expansion will begin in September 2025, and is expected to be completed "long before the end of President Trump's term".

Engineering for the project will be lead by AECOM.

According to the White House, construction of the $200 million project will be funded by "president Trump and other patriot donors".

The project aligns with Trump's endorsement of classical architecture during both his terms, including a recent executive order that promotes the style and a similar order issued in 2020.

The images are courtesy of the White House.

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