Embassies are a critical diplomatic tool, but their original emphasis on representing a state has given way to defending the diplomats inside.
The American Society of Landscape Architects uses examples of Danish and American diplomatic architecture to show the change in design, orientation and use in embassies over the last century. From being housed in refurbished mansions, to flirtations with modernists like Aero Saarinen for the American Embassy in London, the approach to design remained steadfastly expansive and grand. Contemporary models like Standard Embassy Design (SED) are constructed around the assumption that "every embassy is a terrorist target." This echoes military standard operating procedure, and reflects not just the increased danger faced by the US abroad but the growing militarization of foreign policy.
FULL STORY: Diplomacy Through Architecture

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
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