(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump has clashed with the architect he handpicked to design a White House ballroom, after pushing for a much larger size of the project than experts say is appropriate, according to The Washington Post.

The project defies basic architectural norms and reflects Trump's preference for oversized, attention-grabbing designs. His demand for a 90,000-square-foot addition has put him at odds with architect James McCrery II, who has urged restraint, warning that the new structure could overshadow the 55,000-square-foot White House. He stressed the core rule of architecture: an addition should never dwarf the main building.

Despite the disagreements, characterised by a White House official as“constructive dialogue" between Trump and McCrery, the administration remains excited to execute what it believes will be the“greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office,” the official told WaPo.

Details about the project

The Trump administration has not publicly provided key details about the structure, such as its planned height. The 90,000-square-foot structure is also expected to host a suite of offices previously located in the East Wing.

The ballroom plan represents one of the largest changes to the White House in its 233-year history. Trump's singular belief in himself as a tastemaker and obsessive attention to details have led to him micromanaging the project, holding frequent meetings about its design and materials, multiple administration officials confirmed.

A model of the ballroom has also become a regular fixture in the Oval Office. The project's pace, secrecy and shifting specifications have drawn criticism, especially from Democrats, some architects and historical preservation groups, as it has yet to undergo any formal public review.

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As of Tuesday, plans for the addition had not been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission, a 12-member board charged by Congress with overseeing federal construction projects and now led by Trump allies.

A preliminary agenda for the commission's 4 December meeting does not list the ballroom project among items to be reviewed by the body in the next six months. White House officials maintained that the administration still plans to submit its plans to the commission at“the appropriate time.” This delay comes even as a bustling, fenced-off construction site with heavy machinery remains clearly evident during the recent weekdays, WaPo reported.

Criticism of the project

The administration's rapid demolition of the East Wing annexe, along with the solicitations from companies and individuals to fund the new construction, has sparked controversy over the project. Trump argues the ballroom is necessary for hosting special events at the White House.

The White House initially said this summer that the ballroom would cost $200 million and accommodate 650 people; however, Trump increased the figure in recent weeks, asserting that it could cost $300 million or more and would fit about 1,000 people, WaPo reported.

Who are the donors?

Democrats have pressed the White House and its donors for more information about the project and what may have been promised to contributors. The ballroom is being funded by wealthy individuals and big companies with federal contracts, including Amazon, Lockheed Martin and Palantir Technologies.

Several donors have cast the decision in statements as an investment in the future of a building that belongs to the American people, pushing back on the suggestion that their largesse was intended to curry favour with Trump.

The White House acknowledged that its released list of 37 businesses and individuals who helped fund the ballroom is not comprehensive, raising the possibility that millions of dollars have been funnelled toward the president's pet project with no oversight.

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“Billionaires and giant corporations with business in front of this administration are lining up to dump millions into Trump's new ballroom - and Trump is showing them where to sign on the dotted line,” Sen Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) said in a statement last week.

Warren and her colleagues had also introduced legislation that would impose restrictions on White House construction and require more transparency from donors.

All about the architect chosen for the project

The Trump-chosen architect has kept his criticism out of the public eye, working quietly to deliver the project even as Trump pushed for rushed revisions to his plans. The president, who has served as a longtime real estate executive, has repeatedly drilled down into the details of the project during their Oval Office meetings, some people told WaPo.

McCrery, a classical architect and the founder and principal of McCrery Architects, offered little resistance because he wanted to remain with the project, worried that another architect would design an inferior building.

The architect had earlier worked on projects such as the US Supreme Court bookstore and the pedestal for President Ronald Reagan's statue in the US Capitol. The ballroom remains the largest-ever project for his firm, which has specialised in designing churches, libraries and homes.

Trump hired McCrery for the project on 13 July this year, shortly before the White House announced the ballroom project. McCrery was also appointed in 2019 to serve a four-year term on the US Commission of Fine Arts, which provides advice to the president, Congress and local government officials on design matters related to construction projects in the capital region, The Washington Post reported.

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