George W. Bush Library an Architectural Embodiment of the President's Self-Image

The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which was dedicated this past week, is a rare glimpse into the former president’s understanding of his own legacy, writes Henry Grabar.

1 minute read

April 28, 2013, 5:00 AM PDT

By Anna Bergren Miller @abergrenmiller


The building, which sits on the Georgian revival-dominated campus of Southern Methodist University, was designed by architect Robert A. M. Stern. “I wanted it to have the Texas feel that this building does because that’s where we’re from,” Laura Bush explained. The building was constructed largely of local materials, including Texas Cordova Cream limestone and mesquite floors.

“I also wanted the building to be modern-looking, to be forward-looking because George was president during the very first decade of our new century,” the former first lady explained. But while the LEED Platinum-certified structure may be on the cutting edge of sustainable design, its architecture is hardly avant garde. Its rectilinearity recalls 1930s Italian architecture and nineteenth-century New England mill towns. Other precedents include the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and Karl Friedrich Schiller’s Schauspielhaus.

In his design for the presidential library, Stern succeeded in capturing some of the contradictions at the heart of George W. Bush’s self-image: compassion and conservatism, warmth and firmness.

Thursday, April 25, 2013 in Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square