Dividing Washington into four quadrants centered on the U.S. Capitol was a sound and symbolically resonant concept in the 18th century. It lent clarity to a nascent capital and reflected a moment when geometry and governance were thought to align. But that framework as a contemporary tool for urban planning, particularly in Southwest, no longer reflects the city’s reality and risks wasting public funds.

Recent federal interest in the disposition of government buildings has cast a spotlight on Southwest, an area with a high concentration of federally occupied structures and, regrettably, an equally high concentration of architectural underachievement. More than a half dozen federal buildings here totaling over 6 million square feet have appeared on various disposition lists. In response, t

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