houses staff offices facilities government funded think tank focused conflict avoidance building permanent home established headquarters sited prominent location near national mall river neighborhood washington environmentally friendly building noted unique roof designed architect completed critics reviews building design mixed history 1980s democratic senator west_virginia led group calling federal peace institute established congress years rented office space buildings downtown washington 17th street congress approved site national mall site chosen new headquarters permanent home corner 23rd street constitution avenue previously parking lot surgery employees adjacent land transferred charge agreement underground parking spaces built navy employees site northwest corner site available national mall overlooking street historic congress authorized million construction headquarters efforts republican senator alaska institute required raise remaining million funds raised included million donation corporate donor building fund defense contractor named founding corporate partner million criticized taking money world largest producer weapons war april issued design architects submitted proposals heard receiving design request finalists chosen associates known architects withdrew according president design chosen designs basically square buildings headquarters second building washington designed fortress like headquarters completed dominates busy intersection florida unanimously approved plans building groundbreaking ceremony took place following year june dignitaries attendance included president speaker secretary state defense secretary state ceremony speakers hinted opposing views bush use war construction headquarters certified carried maryland certified environmentally friendly building national mall headquarters managed real estate services firm dedicated october year dedicated honor ambassador israel president design according building definition physical symbol peace capital skyline needed convey spirit peace stated believes overt symbolism sense building dedicated peace sense building aggressive building light achieved designing glass curtain wall facing glass ceiling ceiling building elements common design center israel inches thick roof white glass panels supported steel frames interior roof covered translucent plastic film white day night main entrances building facing constitution avenue facing 23rd street building acid concrete resembles limestone design centered large facing national mall designed public smaller private staff larger measures features high glass curtain wall facing national mall seat interactive museum dedicated accessible roof great hall designed convey dove wings called second known measures lined offices library meeting rooms conference center roof simplified version outdoor terrace adjoining facing story underground parking garage accommodate vehicles spaces reserved navy personnel reception thought building succeeds monumental place urban frame national mall jewish daily forward described headquarters architectural gem architect professor emeritus architecture mixed feelings building said visible aesthetically dark unique form appears somewhat day meeting giving final approval building national_park_service representative said building foreign object landscape classical architecture city criticizing design compared buildings constitution avenue building highly visible interstate enter city fact lamented winning critic washington_post scathing reviews headquarters said roof building exercise architecture pierced rows identical rectangular windows institute design marks low point long descent repetitive corporate architecture
United States Institute of Peace Headquarters