Representing the U.S. and Staying Secure

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Embassies are often our nation's most important—and sometimes only—presence in a foreign country. It is important that they reflect the values and principles that the U.S. stands for.

Incorporating these ideals into real brick and mortar in each embassy building is the most exciting and challenging part of the design process. Each one of us, of course, may have a different "take" on what these values and principles might be, but we could all agree that the basic tenets of democracy and freedom are the most important. The youthfulness of our nation—eyes always to the future—and its openness are what must be expressed in the architecture of our diplomatic facilities.

How do you balance the need for openness with the requirements for security?

We can't build slick glass boxes anymore, but concrete bunkers aren't the solution either. A middle ground has to be found. For instance, glass has to be used judiciously because blast proof glass is very costly, but it both lets light in and gives a building a feeling of openness. Other techniques such as using new materials like titanium (or its less expensive alternative, stainless steel), and building form, are also used to give these secure buildings a more open, modern feel.

In Kabul, you've had to contend not only with future security concerns, but the day-to-day dangers of a war zone.

The most significant impact has been on the logistics and phasing of each project. The embassy had to remain operational throughout the entire construction period. It became a game of musical trailers with many trailers relocated several times but kept operational at all times.

The builder constructed an off-site worker camp and escorted the workers to the site every day. Shipping to the embassy site in Kabul was through ports in Pakistan, and supplies, tools, machinery, and materials were then brought by land over Himalayan mountain passes. Air shipping was only used for small quantities of materials due to its high cost.

So where did the materials come from?

In Kabul, we worked hard to locate locally available stone, first in Afghanistan and then in nearby India and Pakistan. At first we identified a suitable sandstone from Afghanistan, but due to the war the local stone dressing factory was no longer functioning. We researched how the stone could be quarried in Afghanistan, shipped to Pakistan for dressing and then shipped back to Kabul. We also found an Italian firm that was willing to donate a stone dressing machine to the local Afghani company but ultimately the lack of reliable electrical power became an insoluble problem.

Did you attend the ribbon-cutting with President Bush in Kabul?

I did not. Like almost everyone else, the first I knew about it was when I read about it in the newspaper.