Embassy Architecture: Can the U.S. Build More Than Bunkers?
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 07.10.09 | 3:08 PM ET
Photo by Our recent troubles with terrorists have wrought many changes, including the rise of American embassies designed with such a strong emphasis on security—at the expense of everything else—that they’ve become, as L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne puts it, “one-size-fits-all bunkers.”
But a new report issued this week entitled “Design for Diplomacy” from the American Institute of Architects suggests that, while security must be at the forefront of embassy design:
U.S. embassies can, and must, reflect American values and ideals. U.S. embassies should symbolize America’s vitality, enduring strength, decency, and innovation. These essential qualities contribute to the conduct of American diplomacy, encourage international commerce, and enhance cultural exchange.
Hawthorne believes it offers a “glimmer of hope” for more elegant embassy designs—assuming the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building Operations, which commissioned the report, takes the findings to heart.
Fore more, Dwell magazine has video of a compelling conversation about embassy architecture.
And if all that isn’t enough, you can download a PDF of the 40-page “Design for Diplomacy” report here. (Beach reading!)
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
Julia Ross 07.10.09 | 4:09 PM ET
thanks for linking this, Jim. actually, this will be beach reading for me ;)
Eva Holland 07.10.09 | 4:52 PM ET
Here’s hoping the report takes some sort of effect. There was a fair bit of rage in Ottawa a few years back, when the new US embassy was built and more or less destroyed the downtown skyline. Then there’s the fact that anyone who walks past gets a furious/suspicious glare from the armed guards—can we fix that next? I don’t heart being treated like a potential terrorist when I’m strolling with my gelato.
I guess that’s the embassy conundrum, though: They need to be close to the city center for practical purposes, and obviously they need to be really secure, but the result is a bit of a war-zone mentality intruding on an otherwise pleasant, popular area.
Jim Benning 07.10.09 | 6:14 PM ET
Ha, enjoy, Julia! Why am I not surprised?
Eva, you’re strolling past U.S. embassies with exposed gelato? Are you crazy? I have a news flash for you: We Americans don’t trust those foreigners, and we really don’t trust elitist foreigners eating fufu foreign desserts. That means no sorbet, either. Never, sorbet.
I would recommend a simple ice cream next time.
Ling 07.11.09 | 10:15 AM ET
I think this kerfuffle over embasy architechture was started by the Germans last year because they didn’t like the building. One guy said that a windowless stretch of the building was probably home to the ‘wellness and water-boarding’ area. It’s not so bad in most other cities. It’s just the new ones where they’ve gone a bit overboard. Pretty sure it won’t happen now, with ‘change’ in the air.
Chris 07.12.09 | 1:38 PM ET
Eva, we have to be careful when dealing with rogue nations like Canada. It’s bad enough that you are overtaking our culture with evils like hockey and funny comedians.