Customer Reviews

The Architecture of Diplomacy: Building America's Embassies (ADST-DACOR Diplomats & Diplomacy)

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I have had the good fortune to meet Ms. Loeffler, to hear her speak on this subject, to be involved in designing embassies, studying embassies, and also in reading this spectacular history. Although it was written a few years prior to 9/11/01, and so does not cover the current Embassy building program, her history is very complete in covering the development an American building type.

Although all countries have embassies, a United States Embassy is a special kind of building. Ms. Loeffler takes us all around the world and across over a century of time exploring how the US Embassies have developed and evolved over the years. The most interesting portions of the book are in the post World War II period to the early 1960's.

The reader is introduced to the important people in FBO (now called OBO) at the State Department. We read of the growth of the embassy program and the contribution of important American architects. We learn of the endeavors of FBO to create a world class image for America through our embassies. We learn of the challenges of designing for terrorism.

I hope Ms. Loeffler will get a chance to add chapters to this history to follow the current developments as this building type continues to develop in these post 9/11 years.

Good Book.

Gregory Knoop
Oudens + Knoop Architects

Many writers have written about my husband, Edward Durell Stone who died in 1978.
The writing here by Jane C. Loeffler about Mr.Stone is accurate, something many writers have ignored. The truth is highly important when speaking of an individual who was a creative giant.

The cover of "The Architecture of Diplomacy" features Edward's embassy building in New Delhi, India. Without a doubt is has been considered the most beautiful of all the embassies built in that era. Frank Lloyd Wright praised it calling it 'The Taj Maria'. I am complimented. Edward designed the building on our honeymoon, as we blissfully ventured on an around the world trip.

Jane's book brought back graceful memories. I thank her.

Maria Durell Stone

I graduated in may with a Master of Architecture degree. My thesis was examining American embassy building typology and over the course of the year I exhausted nearly every written resource I could find on the topic. This book continually kept me genuinely captivated in the whole history. I was often amazed at how many determining factors she would be able to comprehensibly discuss: World politics, American politics, American agendas, Architectural politics, cultural considerations, authoritative demands, Howard Roarks, counter-sustainable building practices... the list goes on.

While I used this book as an insight into a more holistic history of the typology I would also recommend it as simply a really good read. If you're interested in the topic definitely pick this one up.