History West Wing

the main entrance on north side.



west wing above. note oval office , solar panels on roof of cabinet room.

before construction of west wing, presidential staff worked on second floor of executive residence. however, when theodore roosevelt became president, found existing offices in mansion insufficient accommodate family of 6 children staff.

in 1902, first lady edith roosevelt hired mckim, meade & white separate living quarters offices, enlarge , modernize public rooms, re-do landscaping, , redecorate interior. congress approved on half million dollars renovation.

the west wing intended temporary office structure, built on site of greenhouse , stables. president s office , cabinet room took eastern third of building. roosevelt s office located approximately roosevelt room now.

in 1909, william howard taft expanded building southward, covering tennis court. placed first oval office @ center of addition s south facade, reminiscent of oval rooms of white house. later, @ outset of presidency, herbert hoover rebuilt west wing, excavating partial basement, , supporting structural steel. completed building lasted less 7 months. on december 24, 1929, west wing damaged electrical fire. hoover rebuilt it, , added air-conditioning.

the fourth , final major reorganization undertaken franklin d. roosevelt. dissatisfied size , layout of west wing, engaged new york architect eric gugler redesign in 1933. create additional space without increasing apparent size of building, gugler excavated full basement, added set of subterranean offices under adjacent lawn, , built unobtrusive penthouse story. directive wring office space out of existing building responsible narrow corridors , cramped staff offices. gugler s notable change addition east side containing new cabinet room, secretary s office, , oval office. new office s location gave presidents greater privacy, allowing them slip , forth between white house , west wing without being in full view of staff.

as size of president s staff grew on latter half of 20th century, west wing came seen small modern governmental functions. today, of staff members of executive office of president located in adjacent eisenhower executive office building.