Dwell's Embassy Walking Tour
In May I led a walking tour of Washington DC's modern embassies. About 25 people in all, we wandered down the District's famed Embassy Row, and though we all marveled at the stately grandeur of tony 19th-century mansions, our architectural sights were firmly set on Washington's modern edifices.
We had appointments to tour the Royal Danish Embassy and Ambassador's Residence (the ambassador himself Friis Arne Petersen dropped in on us unexpectedly), the Embassy of Finland, and the new Swiss Ambassador's Residence designed by Steven Holl (pictured above), but much of the joy of our several-hour walk was rambling along lovely Massachusetts Avenue NW discovering the unexpected thrills the city offers. My favorite is the very strange Kahlil Gibran Memorial just opposite the British Embassy. After making our circuit, we headed to 2 Amy's Pizza for a late and much-needed lunch.
View the full map from DC Embassy Walking TourCheck out this map to see our route, and consider following it yourself, though deviations are bound to be rewarding. I'll make a few notes about what we saw, but if nothing else, walk the streets of Washington, and for heaven's sake my tourist friends, leave the National Mall behind for a day and visit a crop of buildings that add so much to the city's cultural and architectural landscape. You won't find them anywhere else.
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Nice post on the modern--and not so modern--sites here in D.C. Here's a post I did about the Danish Embassy on my modern blog, Modern Capital: http://moderncapital.blogspot.com/2008/07/cool-danish-digs-in-dc.html
Next time make sure you stop by the New Zealand Chancery building by Warren & Mahoney.
Michael, Thanks for the note, and good work on the Danish embassy. As it happens, we're going to give your site a shoutout in an upcoming story on modern real estate. Should be out in the October issue in the Modern Real Estate 101 story. Keep up the good work!
My favorite is the very strange Kahlil Gibran Memorial just opposite the British Embassy.;)
I appreciate your work on the Danish embassy, keep it up. Thanks
nice post. keep post like this....
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