The embassy design database contains case studies, plans and photographs from posts around the globe and examines a wide scope of issues, ranging from security to landscaping. Zimring includes both triumphs and troubles, with suggestions for handling the latter. The database makes this research more accessible and palatable, points out Thierry Rosenheck, post occupancy evaluation coordinator for Office of Foreign Buildings Operations. Before you had to pick up a report and pore though it. There is also an interactive section that allows users to enter new information and share their experiences on current projects.
Security is at the top of the list.
To protect a building from an explosion, designers might limit the number of windows and decrease their size or set the building farther back on property. President Truman advocated having all U.S. embassies replicate the White House. But even though the residence is a government building, it is also a family home. Providing security can chip away at privacy. The American habit of placing the doors on bathroom stalls a few inches above the ground is not always acceptable.