How do you feel about the new Chinese embassy designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei?
Here's a rendering:
http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/10/07/PH2006100700771.jpg
http://www.ppa-ny.com/images/newsRecent/embassy.jpg
There are many more renderings on this website that are in flash so I can't post them: http://www.ppa-ny.com/FLASH/flash_home.htm
I'll try to get some construction photos when I'm home this week.

The building is set to be completed in 2008 and has been under construction for a year at this point.

I think it looks fine. It's unique, I mean it could be better and bigger, but I like the color and the general design looks good. The US embassy in China that's being built is really nice.

I think it looks fine. It's unique, I mean it could be better and bigger, but I like the color and the general design looks good. The US embassy in China that's being built is really nice.
c'mon, nova. let's be real here. that building looks like a fortrace. it looks like the central booking building here in baltimore.

Haha, I don't know, maybe I just have weird taste. I'm not in love w/ it or anything, but I give it pts. for being unique at least for DC. I think it would depend also on the landscaping and what materials are used for the facade and what the windows look like, so I'd need to see better renderings. It doesn't have to look chinese though, if it did, if it looked like the US Embassy in China, I'd trade for sure. I do wish there was some kind of fountain ot something else in this design though.

There may be some fountain on the side, I can't see for sure.

It screams, "New Wave Prison!" ;)

I'm holding out hope that it will look better in person when it is completed. I have trouble believing that one of the greatest architects or our time would design crap for one of the greatest cities of our time.

I'm holding out hope that it will look better in person when it is completed. I have trouble believing that one of the greatest architects or our time would design crap for one of the greatest cities of our time.
The building may have unusual design constraints that force it to look like a prison. Consideration must be made for possible electronic eavesdropping, riots, and terrorist attacks (may or may not be specifically against the Chinese).

One of the pics makes the building look like it's in New Mexico, the other is white like it's near the mediteranean or something. I'd much rather have the white facade. Also, if the windows look nice and the artistic details are well done, it'll look better.

Oh, so this is the building that is being built on Van Ness Street, right off of Connecticut Ave? I keep driving by a site that has bamboo scaffolding and a big red banner with Chinese letters on it. Next time I will try to get some pictures of the construction.

This area is like a weird embassy-suburb, with cul-de-sacs and entrances that are cut off from the streets... The perfect fusion of late 20th century American land use and post Semptember-11th security concerns!