Architects sfend a lot of time educating clients about the value of design. Here's one more opportunity: The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has begun to scrutinize the State Department's new approach to architecture, the Excellence in Diplomatic Facilities program, starting with a contentious July 10 hearing on Capitol Hill. This is the committee's latest investigation relating to the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. Certainly, no one blames architecture for the attack. Instead, the concern is that more Benghazis could occur because an emphasis on design for future buildings could lead to cost overruns and delays, leaving workers in outmoded, insecure facilities. Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., summed up the argument in late June, via Twitter: "Is State Dept Embassy Design Putting Style over Safety?"
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