The US Embassy: The New Tower of London

Timberlake's winning design plan

Mayne's proposal

The once controversial US Embassy in London was designed by Euro Saarinen in 1955 and the 2010 winning design for the new embassy resembles the Saarinen facade simply stacked three times higher. The building is being compared to a 21st century avatar of the Tower of London and a body armor suit disguised as a seersucker suit.

Designed by the small Philadelphia firm of Kieran Timberlake – the building appears as a 12-story glass cube. But the strengths that lead Timberlake’s design to victory are the terrorist precautions. In addition, the design allows for the structure to be completely self-sufficient with solar power from the photovoltaic cells on the exterior cladding.

Although I see it as an oxymoron to publish the building’s anti-terrorist qualities, their design inspiration from medieval castle defenses is quite interesting. The building is raised up from ground level with a grassy knoll on one side and a moat on the other, creating a centralized public entrance for security. The “undulating earthworks” are meant to detour truck bombers. Similarly, the exterior glass cladding is treated with a “polymer plastic to help lessen the projectile force in case of explosion.”

With the two bombings of the US Embassy in East Africa in 1998 and the recent al-Qaeda threats, these security features set Timberlake's design apart from the majority of other proposals. But this building will be costing the US $1 billion to build, where as other Embassies in more threatening zones have cost sufficiently less: Pakistan cost near $850 million and Baghdad cost $500 million. Are American diplomats in need of higher security in London or is this an example of poor financial spending on the Administration's part? According to Martin Filler of the New York Review, this is one of the least successful artistic initiatives ever undertaken.

Architect Richard Rogers and former British Arts Council chairman, Peter Palumbo have attempted to persuade their fellow jurors of accepting Thom Mayne’s proposal from Morphosis firm in Santa Monica. The design is open with courtyards and embodies many curves, greatly contrasting the missile shape of Timberlake’s design.

Besides the two opposing jurors, Rogers and Palumbo, who have publicized their hatred for Timberlake’s winning design, the firm does appear at #8 on Fast Company’s most innovative architecture firms. And their designs have been proven to be green and functional – two aspects that are starting to override aesthetic appeal.

Saarinen’s building was once criticized on for the cube shape modeled after office buildings - similar to the critiques Timberlake’s design is currently receiving. But years later it is considered a landmark. The government of Qatar has reported to have purchased the former US Embassy for $533 million and will be converting the office space into a hotel and apartments. As it is now a recognized landmark, Qatar must maintain the current facade.