Berlin Embassy: Critics Not Impressed

German architectural critics are having a field day with the new U.S. embassy in Berlin (pictured), skewering the design as “banal” and “monstrous.” It’s an unfair rap, says University of Maryland architectural historian Jane Loeffler.

Writing for Newsweek, Loeffler argues that U.S. embassy design too often provides an easy target for those keen to criticize U.S. foreign policy, particularly in cases where the buildings are walled-off compounds. But in Berlin’s case, she says, the design expresses “optimism and trust,” underscoring America’s commitment to a reunified Germany.

A slideshow accompanying the Newsweek story shows controversial U.S. embassies built since the 1950s, and gives readers a glimpse of the cool new embassy in Beijing, slated to open in August during the Olympics. Given the many potential crises that could erupt during the Games, perhaps that opening will slip by unnoticed.

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved