Step 1 : Introduction to the question "What architect designed the White House?"
...Irish-born architect James Hoban designed the White House after winning a national competition in 1792. His design was influenced by the classical architecture of Dublin, particularly Leinster House, which today serves as the seat of Ireland’s parliament. Construction began later that year in Washington, D.C., and took eight years to complete. John Adams became the first president to live in the White House when he moved in in 1800. After British forces burned the building during the War of 1812, Hoban returned to help oversee its reconstruction.