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Built:
1990- 1994
Designed by: Mikko Heikkinen, Markku Komonen, and Sarlotta Narjus
Type: Government Building
Location: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest
City: Washington
State: District of Columbia
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M
ore than a diplomatic outpost, the Finnish embassy is a cultural symbol of a people and their lifestyle. It leverages the power of architecture to convey a message in a way that spoke and written words can't. But more important than what it's done for Finland is what it's done for the diplomatic world. At first, the construction of the embassy was seen as an extravagance to people with a lack of vision. Why bother building such a showcase for a government office? The answer comes in something that large corporations have known for years – prestige and notoriety. How much free advertising has the Chrysler corporation gotten over the years from a building it no longer inhabits? What about the Bank of China? Or Lloyds of London? The fact is that great architecture expands an organization's clout, creates to-of-mind awareness, and enhances credibility without resorting to brash advertisements. This is exactly what happened with the Finns. Their dynamic new approach to government construction made them the talk of the town in a town that is frequently all talk. It created awareness on a level that the country previously hadn't reached. People wanted to see the building, to be invited inside, and to understand what was going on. In a place like Washington, DC, being on the inside is all that matters. In execution, the embassy of Finland embraces the stark forms common in its homeland. Grids upon squares meshed with cubes in a formula that should be utilitarian, but ultimately turns very artistic as it is carried out in granite, steel, and glass. The property backs onto a park, and the building takes advantage of that natural surrounding by incorporating a large trellises into the façade. In winter, the brown vines form a camouflage which protects the interior from the sun. In the summer it serves the same purpose, but also brings the people inside closer to nature by making it more accessible. The link with nature is solidified in the light that is welcomed into the building through large glass and translucent sections of the north and south faces. Light and air are both distributed by a large hall that runs the length of the building, which is known as the "Grand Canyon." The lesson of the Finnish embassy is one that has been well learned. Diplomats all over Foggy Bottom have learned what corporations have known for decades – that architecture can be a tool for advertising. Countries from Denmark to Italy have tried to recreate the same success with their embassies and are learning that public relations battles cannot only be fought with pen and paper, but also with bricks and mortar.
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