Blog Post | Diplomatic Spaces Through Time: A Call for Interdisciplinary Research on Architecture and International Relations
The latest forum in the Hague Journal of Diplomacy highlights the rich potential for interdisciplinary research at the intersection of architecture, diplomacy, and international relations. These contributions, spanning from the early American republic to the contemporary era, reveal how diplomatic spaces have historically shaped and reflected international relations. However, they also underscore significant gaps in our understanding, particularly regarding the evolving role of embassy architecture in a post-colonial, digitally-connected world. This blog post challenges scholars across disciplines to collaborate on exploring these critical intersections.
Diplomatic Spaces Throughout History
Katrina Ponti's examination of early American legations in Europe offers valuable insights into how the fledgling United States used architectural choices to project its democratic values. Unlike their European counterparts, American diplomats embraced a more fluid approach to space, with legations serving as both homes and official venues. This architectural openness embodied the young republic's egalitarian ethos and desire to distinguish itself from Old World aristocracy. Ponti's work raises important questions about how nations use built environments to communicate political ideals and national identity, for example how American openness to the use of domestic architecture to house its diplomatic mission, embodied the young republic's egalitarian ethos and desire to distinguish itself from Old World aristocracy.
Lien Verpoest's analysis of the Razumovsky Palace in Vienna (1803-1815) provides a fascinating perspective on how diplomatic residences functioned as extensions of an ambassador's persona. The palace, built by Russian ambassador Andrey Razumovsky, became a cultural nexus and informal diplomatic hub, influencing anti-Napoleonic sentiment through its architecture, art collections, and social gatherings. Verpoest's study demonstrates the power of architecture and space curation in shaping diplomatic practice and international relations in the early 19th century.
Moving to the Cold War era, Hendrik W. Ohnesorge and Anna-Sophia Decker's examination of Berlin's Congress Hall reveals how architecture became an ideological battleground between East and West. The authors propose five criteria for evaluating architectural soft power: location, meaning, message, publicity, and mode of creation. Their analysis shows how the Congress Hall's dramatic design and strategic location were intended to symbolise freedom and progress in contrast to Soviet-style architecture. This case study highlights the potential for buildings to serve as powerful embodiments of national soft power.
Laura-Maria Popoviciu's exploration of the Dutch Embassy in Warsaw, designed by Erick van Egeraat in 2004, brings the discussion into the 21st century. By incorporating subtle references to 17th century Dutch-Polish architect Tilman van Gameren, the embassy building creates a visual dialogue between past and present. Its transparent, inviting design also communicates Dutch values of openness and innovation. Popoviciu's work demonstrates how contemporary embassy architecture can honour shared histories while projecting a modern national image.
These four articles collectively highlight the enduring importance of physical spaces in diplomacy across different historical periods. However, they also reveal the need for a more integrated approach that combines insights from multiple disciplines to understand the complex interplay between architecture, national identity, and diplomatic influence in different historical and cultural contexts.
Colonialism, Transnational Threats and Diplomatic Architecture
One pressing area for interdisciplinary inquiry is the legacy of colonial architecture in diplomatic settings. While Popoviciu's analysis touches on historical connections between the Netherlands and Poland, there is a notable absence of critical engagement with the colonial implications of diplomatic architecture across the articles. How do former colonial powers navigate the design of embassies in previously colonised nations? Conversely, how do post-colonial states use embassy architecture to assert their sovereignty and redefine relationships with former colonisers? These questions demand input from post-colonial theorists, architects, and diplomatic historians alike.
Security studies scholars and architects must also collaborate more closely to address the evolving challenges of embassy design in an era of transnational threats. The tension between openness and security, highlighted in several of the case studies, has only intensified in recent decades. How can embassies balance the need for public engagement and cultural exchange with increasingly complex security requirements? This question requires expertise in both architectural design and risk assessment, as well as an understanding of how built environments influence perceptions of safety and vulnerability.
The concept of soft power, central to Ohnesorge and Decker's analysis, warrants further interdisciplinary exploration in relation to embassy architecture. While Joseph Nye's framework provides a useful starting point, researchers must develop more nuanced models for understanding how architectural choices translate into diplomatic influence. This could involve collaborations between political scientists, sociologists, and design theorists to assess the impact of embassy aesthetics on local populations and diplomatic outcomes.
Moreover, the articles reveal a pressing need for more diverse geographical and cultural perspectives in the study of diplomatic architecture. The focus on Western case studies, while valuable, limits our understanding of how non-Western states approach embassy design as a tool of diplomacy. Scholars of area studies, working alongside architects and diplomats, could provide crucial insights into how different cultural traditions and political systems manifest in diplomatic spaces around the world.
Future developments and challenges
The digital transformation of diplomacy presents another critical area for interdisciplinary research. As virtual platforms increasingly complement physical diplomatic spaces, how will this impact embassy design and function? Computer scientists, digital media scholars, and diplomats must collaborate to envision the embassy of the future – one that seamlessly integrates physical and virtual elements to maximise diplomatic engagement and influence.
Climate change and sustainability also demand urgent attention in the context of diplomatic architecture. Environmental scientists, architects, and policy experts should work together to develop innovative approaches to embassy design that demonstrate environmental leadership and support global sustainability goals. This could involve research into carbon-neutral embassy buildings, the use of local and sustainable materials, and designs that promote climate resilience in vulnerable regions.
To address these complex challenges, we propose the following interdisciplinary research agenda:
- Establish collaborative research clusters bringing together scholars from international relations, architecture, security studies, post-colonial studies, and related fields to develop integrated frameworks for analysing diplomatic architecture across different historical periods and cultural contexts.
- Conduct comparative studies of embassy design across diverse cultural and political contexts, with particular attention to post-colonial dynamics and non-Western approaches to architectural diplomacy.
- Develop new methodologies for assessing the impact of embassy architecture on diplomatic outcomes, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches from multiple disciplines.
- Explore the potential of emerging technologies in transforming diplomatic spaces, including virtual and augmented reality applications that complement physical embassy functions.
- Investigate sustainable and climate-resilient approaches to embassy design through partnerships between architects, environmental scientists, and diplomats.
- Analyse the evolving security challenges facing diplomatic facilities and develop innovative design solutions that balance openness with protection.
- Examine the role of embassy architecture in public diplomacy and nation branding efforts, drawing on insights from marketing, communication studies, and international relations.
The extent to which the built environment has influenced and continues to shape global politics, and is shaped by it, is clearly of significance to both academics and practitioners of diplomacy. Further collaborative efforts are needed to grasp fully the complex relationships, forms of representation involved, and the ways in which they shape and frame diplomatic engagement in our interconnected world.
This interdisciplinary agenda challenges scholars to move beyond their traditional disciplinary boundaries and engage in truly collaborative research. By bringing together diverse perspectives and methodologies, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of how diplomatic architecture has shaped and continues to influence international relations across time and space.
Contributed by Stuart MacDonald, co-editor of the HJD’s latest special forum on Architecture and Diplomacy.
Stuart MacDonald, FRSA, is Founder-Director of ICR Research Ltd., the UK's leading consultancy in Public and Cultural Diplomacy.. He advises governments on cultural relations strategies and has numerous academic affiliations. MacDonald's research focuses on cultural relations policy, UK soft power, and data-driven approaches in foreign cultural policy.