Existing comment:
Scaling Back the Design:
Construction moved forward during the Great Depression, which greatly decreased the costs for material and labor. The steel superstructure, clad with marble, rose quickly from the foundation. In early 1932, the Building Commission asked Architect of the Capitol, David Lynn, to direct the architects to seek cost-saving measures wherever possible without sacrificing any of the building's essential features. Modifications reduced the number of elevators, eliminated the marble walls and floors in the utilitarian areas of the building, and deleted additional decorative embellishments on the interior. Carved inscriptions in many locations were also eliminated, but the two main ones on the exterior were kept: "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW" and "JUSTICE THE GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY." By 1934, despite delays caused by striking workers, the exterior of the building was substantially complete and interior work was well under way. |