Entrance to the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, designed by John Johansen in 1957. Image courtesy of the Department of Drawings and Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, c. 1957.
Presented by the Onera Foundation in collaboration with The Glass House, the evening’s conversation will explore the profound influence of the Harvard Five—particularly Marcel Breuer and John Johansen—tracing their evolution from designing experimental modern homes in New Canaan to creating visionary U.S. embassies during the Cold War. The discussion will highlight how these innovative domestic designs, which introduced a new way of living, laid the foundation for an architectural language that promoted cultural and diplomatic exchange in the post–World War II era—an initiative known as the U.S. Embassy Program. The panel will also address the growing urgency to preserve these embassies as enduring landmarks of mid-century modernism and international relations.
This panel discussion marks the opening program for Treaties on De-Fences, the inaugural exhibition at the Onera Foundation. The exhibition features work by artist and preservation architect Jorge Otero-Pailos, whose practice explores the intersections of preservation and contemporary art. Founded by David B. Peterson, the Onera Foundation is committed to advancing public engagement with the preservation of historically and architecturally significant sites across the United States—through exhibitions, films, and publications.
Moderator
Kirsten Reoch
Executive Director, The Glass House
Lead Presenters
Barry Bergdoll
Architectural Historian, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History, Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University
David B. Peterson
Founder, Onera Foundation; Author of U.S. Embassies of the Cold War
Additional Panelists
Devon Chivvis
Filmmaker, Director of The Harvard 5 Documentary
Jorge Otero-Pailos
Artist, Architect, and Director of Historic Preservation at GSAPP, Columbia University