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| Artist's rendering of future Moscow Annex (HOK website) |
The Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) announced four new embassy construction contracts this week, which is quite a couple more than it could have announced at this time last fiscal year, and concrete evidence [concrete, get it?] of Congress's commitment to provide increased capital funding to replace our most vulnerable overseas diplomatic facilities.
The next four will be: an office annex in Moscow, Russia (see the press release here), and new embassy complexes in Nouakchott, Mauritania (here), The Hague, Netherlands (here), and Paramaribo, Suriname (here).
All of them will get the Fortress treatment. Or, in OBO's language, they'll get "safe, secure, and functional facilities that represent the U.S. Government to the host nation and support our staff in the achievement of U.S. foreign policy objectives." With an extra helping of secure, please.
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| Paramaribo's ticky-tack chancery (photo from official website) |
6 comments:
Love the pics. Paramaribo looks like a science building of a 70's college building. The Moscow rendering isn't too bad, but there sure is a lot of translucent exterior wall surface. I know they have many clear semi blast resistance materials, but the system to support and hang the stuff would have to be pretty stout and that could ruin the intended effect. I wouldn't want an office close to it or where I could be observed.
GWB: Keeping an eye on foreign policy matters? Looks like the O team and Kerry are doing a fabulous job with Iran. France! God does move in mysterious ways.
TSB: Don't tell Kerry or Obama but it looks like the Russians are coming...
to Egypt! gwb
http://www.debka.com/article/23438/Lavrov-to-confirm-Russian-air-defense-system-surface-missiles-for-Egypt-Russian-Navy-facilities-at-Alexandria-
TSB: ADA IS BACK! I mean SHE'S GONE! I had the distinct impression that she couldn't stay away from Japan but it sounds like dad couldn't handle the increased workload. What in the world could those boys be up to? gwb
James: I keep trying to think of ways to get TSB do more history stuff because I think 'modern embassy architecture' is such a drain on his energy..as you point out it's pretty uninspiring. Any suggestions? gwb
I'm open to any ideas! In fact, I'm edging up to some thoughts about European history and the role played in it by our (very un-modern) embassy in Budapest.
GWB: " I keep trying to think of ways to get TSB do more history stuff" I mentioned something to TSB along those lines, though TSB thought it was a good idea for the life of me I can't remember what it was.
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