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Design Diplomacy
Thank You Reception
Rydhave, Denmark

Tuesday night The Honorable Richard N. Swett, FAIA, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, and Mrs. Swett hosted a Thank You Reception for the people who had helped make Design Diplomacy, The AIA Conference in Copenhagen, such a huge success. The Reception was held at Rydhave, the historical residence of the US Ambassador to Denmark.
The Ambassador, sporting a "blue eye", assured everybody that it came from a basketball game.....not a political battle!

Photo: Jens Guldsmed Thomsen
The Honorable Richard N. Swett and Mrs. Swett.

In the welcome speech the Ambassador talked about how he, prior to his posting in Copenhagen, had thought to build a bridge between architecture and public policy in the United States, and how his first impression of Denmark made him believe that he had finally come to a country where the bridge was already build..... and that his first impression was confirmed by the great interest and collaboration he had received from both the architectural profession and the government for the "Design Diplomacy" Conference.

The Ambassador emphasized the importance of taking "design" beyond aesthetic sensibilities and broadening it to incorporate topics related to people, society and quality of life (in other words, political issues).... that we shift the traditional paradigm of architecture from the design of buildings to influencing the "design" process for solving problems in society (or the "design" of public policy).

In the Executive Summary there is a 1785 quote from Thomas Jefferson:
"I am proud to be an architect and I don't propose we go out and tear down any buildings. I do propose, however, we tear down some of the myths and misperceptions that architects have about public policy and vice versa."

Ambassador Swett added:
"And that we did in Copenhagen September 6 - 9 of this year".

Photo: Jens Guldsmed Thomsen

In the center Lene Tranberg MAA, Chairman of the Board of Gammel Dok, Danish Centre for Architecture and Pamla McCroby Winther, Director of Tri Partners, Logistics Consultants for the AIA.

P.S. Mrs. Swett invited everybody to walk around the residence and view the new art collection from the Art in Embassies program (AIEP). The program was created to promote national pride and a sense of the distinct cultural identity of America's art and its artists. This innovative program traverses cultural and language barriers by providing original US works of art for the representational rooms of United States ambassadorial residences worldwide.

Collaboration between ambassadors and Art in Embassies program curators determine the development and scope of the exhibitions and work of art to be included. This joint effort insures that the individual collections reflect the ambassador's interests and vision, while remaining attentive to the host country's cultural and political environments.

Ambassador and Mrs. Swett, with seven children, three dogs and a cat, appropriately selected the theme "Celebrating American family Life".

Arthur Leipzig
Grandpa and the Kids,
Brooklyn, New York 1953
Silver Gelatin print.





				Features
		Design Diplomacy Thank You Reception Rydhave, Denmark Tuesday night The Honorable Richard N. Swett, FAIA, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, and Mrs. Swett hosted a Thank You Reception for the people who had helped make Design Diplomacy, The AIA Conference in Copenhagen, such a huge success. The Reception was held at Rydhave, the historical residence of the US Ambassador to Denmark. The Ambassador, sporting a "blue eye", assured everybody that it came from a basketball game.....not a political battle! Photo: Jens Guldsmed Thomsen The Honorable Richard N. Swett and Mrs. Swett. In the welcome speech the Ambassador talked about how he, prior to his posting in Copenhagen, had thought to build a bridge between architecture and public policy in the United States, and how his first impression of Denmark made him believe that he had finally come to a country where the bridge was already build..... and that his first impression was confirmed by the great interest and collaboration he had received from both the architectural profession and the government for the "Design Diplomacy" Conference. The Ambassador emphasized the importance of taking "design" beyond aesthetic sensibilities and broadening it to incorporate topics related to people, society and quality of life (in other words, political issues).... that we shift the traditional paradigm of architecture from the design of buildings to influencing the "design" process for solving problems in society (or the "design" of public policy). In the Executive Summary there is a 1785 quote from Thomas Jefferson: "I am proud to be an architect and I don't propose we go out and tear down any buildings. I do propose, however, we tear down some of the myths and misperceptions that architects have about public policy and vice versa." Ambassador Swett added: "And that we did in Copenhagen September 6 - 9 of this year". Photo: Jens Guldsmed Thomsen In the center Lene Tranberg MAA, Chairman of the Board of Gammel Dok, Danish Centre for Architecture and Pamla McCroby Winther, Director of Tri Partners, Logistics Consultants for the AIA. P.S. Mrs. Swett invited everybody to walk around the residence and view the new art collection from the Art in Embassies program (AIEP). The program was created to promote national pride and a sense of the distinct cultural identity of America's art and its artists. This innovative program traverses cultural and language barriers by providing original US works of art for the representational rooms of United States ambassadorial residences worldwide. Collaboration between ambassadors and Art in Embassies program curators determine the development and scope of the exhibitions and work of art to be included. This joint effort insures that the individual collections reflect the ambassador's interests and vision, while remaining attentive to the host country's cultural and political environments. Ambassador and Mrs. Swett, with seven children, three dogs and a cat, appropriately selected the theme "Celebrating American family Life". Arthur Leipzig Grandpa and the Kids, Brooklyn, New York 1953 Silver Gelatin print.