On Thursday January 22, 2026, National Civic Art Society president Justin Shubow will be giving a talk at Yale Law School sponsored by its Federalist Society chapter. His subject is "The Architecture of Democracy: The Return of Classicism in the Design of U.S. Courthouses and Federal Office Buildings." The event starts at noon and is free and open to the public.
The talk builds on Shubow’s recent writing on civic architecture, including his essay for the Jack Miller Center, “Building Citizens,” which examines how America’s classical public buildings have historically reinforced democratic ideals, as well as a recent article reflecting on the legacy of modern architecture and its effect on public culture. Together, these and other writings sit within his wider work to reform federal design standards and reorient public architecture toward civic meaning and permanence.