Designs on a new era

The embassies of four EU countries are either improving or replacing their premises. At the dawning of a new era, European foreign offices have also been reconsidering the aesthetic message their embassies convey in Warsaw On ul. Piękna, the French Embassy is being refurbished, by French firm RD bud, and this should be complete in September this year. Three years ago they moved part of their representation to 1,500 sqm of space at the Europlex mixed use centre on Puławska, as a temporary measure until the facelift was complete. This will be vacated in summer 2004. Near the serene setting of Łazienki park on ul. Kawalerii, construction of a new Dutch embassy is drawing to a close and should be ready to start functioning in mid-October this year. According to the embassy's First Secretary Jeroen Boender, the fact of Poland's entry to the EU has very much influenced the decision to change address. "The current embassy is too small," he says, as "relations b